Redemption
by reader93
Summary: The war has ended. Snape was saved. He is given a second chance at living a happy life. Hermione has taken on a new challenge. Can a new friendship be formed? SS/HG, canon for most of DH.
1. Chapter 1 Severus

**A/N: This is my first fic. I hope it is up to scratch. Please R&R**

**Disclaimer: The amazing world and it's characters belong to JK Rowling, for whom I have the deepest respect.**

Chapter 1

He felt a sudden rush of fear. Potter! He had to get to Potter before the others did. He could not let them get to Harry. Harry must not be found.

"My Lord, let me go and find him. Let me bring him to you. Let me prove to you for once and for all that I am and have always been your most loyal servant." He blocked out his mind, knowing that Voldemort would try Occlumency to test his loyalty yet again.

"The battle is going well, Severus. I have no need for Potter to be brought to me. He will come of his own accord." Voldemort sidled around to his snake, floating in a protected bubble. Severus Snape had concluded, long ago, that this snake was more valuable than just a companion. Severus watched the snake for a moment, twisting and turning, suspended in its floating prison. "I have another problem, which I think you might have the answer to."

"Yes, my lord?" Severus asked, tentatively.

"The wand," Voldemort showed him the Elder Wand, "it does not work for me. Why does it not work for me, Severus?"

"My lord, I don't understand. The wand works for you. I have seen you do extraordinary magic with it." Severus had gone pale. He knew that the wand was never Voldemort's, nor was it even his. He knew that that was the reason for the wand's failure to perform. Dumbledore had told him the way of the Elder Wand before his death.

"No, Severus. That was nothing more special than what I can do with any other wand. I am aware, as I'm sure are you, of the great power the wand possesses." Voldemort's eyes flashed crimson.

"Of course my Lord. Power to perform the greatest magic." Severus kept his face composed, his mind blank, but underneath it all, he feared for his life.

"Exactly. But I think I know the solution to that problem. It will be sad to lose such a great mind and ally as you, Severus, but I think it will be worth it for the greater scheme of things." Voldemort smiled, and that scared Severus to his core.

"My lord, please... I – I don't..." He tried to defend himself, tell Voldemort that it is not his doing, the wand's failure.

But Voldemort pointed his wand at Severus, and hissed _"Sectumsempra!"_ and then at the prison that held the snake, and released it, hissing to her in Parseltongue. Severus screamed. The pain was terrible, long gashes opening is his skin, his neck and chest and face opened up as though being sliced open with a knife. The snake came at him too, darting forward to where he fell on his knees. The snake reared it's huge head and lunged at him, biting him on his neck, once, twice, three times.

"I am sorry that it has to be this way, Severus. I did appreciate your loyalty," said Voldemort in a cold voice. He turned on his heel, and walked out, the snake slithering after him, leaving Severus to die.

Severus gasped and clutched at his throat, where the venom was slowly making its way into his system. It felt as though fire was running through his veins.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Potter's face loomed over him.

"Professor! Look at me!" His voice sounded distant. Severus fought to stay with him. He had to give him his memories, he had to redeem himself, even if he was going to die. He did not want to die with the people he liked and respected to believe him a traitor. They had to know his reasons for his actions. He filled his mind with memories, all the happiest and saddest of his life. Lily, and his love for her being the sole reason he did what he did. Harry had to know the truth, even if it made no difference now. He allowed the memories to seep out of him.

"Take... it..." he rasped. Harry had a vial from somewhere. He held the vial to the memories, catching them. Once Harry had collected the memories, Severus knew that his time was near. The last thing he ever wanted to see before parting this life was Lily. The closest thing he had was Harry. Harry had his mother's eyes. They were identical. "Look... at... me..." was all he managed. Harry looked at him, and he looked deep into those green eyes. He was filled with happiness, for one moment in his life. He smiled a faint smile. Then there was nothing.

**A/N (2): This chapter is short, yes, and it is basically been told already. But please read on, because I can assure you the story does get better (and chapters are longer).**


	2. Chapter 2 Hermione

Chapter 2

Hermione gave Harry a terrified look as she saw who was in the room. Voldemort was standing in front of the crate, behind which crouched Harry, Ron and Hermione, concealed under Harry's cloak.

"_The battle is going well, Severus."_ Hermione gasped silently, her eyes widening, when the second person in the room was revealed to be Severus Snape, their former Potions professor. _"I have no need for Potter to be brought to me. He will come of his own accord."_ Harry shifted uncomfortably next to her.

Just then, Voldemort moved away from the crate, over to his snake, suspended in mid-air. She then saw Snape, staring at the snake.

"_I have another problem, which I think you might have the answer," _said Voldemort.

"_Yes, my lord?"_ asked Snape, sounding tense.

"_The wand," _Hermione saw him lift the Elder Wand slightly, _"it does not work for me. Why does it not work for me, Severus?"_ Voldemort sounded calm, even casual.

"_My lord, I don't understand. The wand works for you. I have seen you do extraordinary magic with it."_ She saw the colour draining from Snape's face, and he shifted, ever so slightly, as though he sensed danger.

"_No, Severus. That was nothing more special than what I can do with any other wand. I am aware, as I'm sure are you, of the great power the wand possesses."_ Hermione did know. She recalled the conversation with Xenophillius Lovegood about the wand, and what he had said about wizards becoming so power-hungry, they would do anything, even kill those closest to them, for the power it possesses.

"_Of course my Lord. Power to perform the greatest magic."_ Hermione saw the look on Snape's face. Hard as stone, showing not an ounce of emotion. She did not know how he could not be trembling in fear.

"_Exactly. But I think I know the solution to that problem. It will be sad to lose such a great mind and ally as you, Severus, but I think it will be worth it for the greater scheme of things."_ She went cold, as Voldemort's words made sudden sense. She knew that something was about to happen, and that it would not end well for Snape. She grasped Harry's arm tightly as Snape began to say something, and Voldemort raised his wand. What happened next happened so fast that she didn't have time to realise it, and then Voldemort was gone.

Harry burst out from under the cloak and moved over to his former professor. He leaned over Snape, and took his head in his hands. Hermione couldn't see what was happening, but suddenly Harry was asking for a vial. She summoned one from the depths of her bag and handed it to Harry. She moved to see what he was doing, and saw that he was catching something that looked like something between a silver liquid and mist coming from Snape's mouth, nose and eyes. When there was no more silvery substance, Harry closed the vial. Snape whispered something barely audible, and Harry just looked at him. Then his eyes closed and his head fell back.

Harry stood up suddenly, and his face was cold. He walked resolutely out of the room, and back up to the castle. Ron gave an enquiring look at Hermione before hurrying to catch up. Hermione was left alone in the room with the dead man. She did not feel much like going up to the castle at the moment. There was a break in the fighting for the moment, after all. She sat staring at the prone form of Severus Snape. She knew that he had been Dumbledore's spy. She had trusted him. She had respected him.

Lost in her own thoughts, she nearly missed the slightest groan that escaped Snape's lips. She heard it, however, and quickly went on her knees at his side. She felt for a pulse, and she could feel one, barely there. She quickly went into action.

She whipped out her wand, and pointing it at the deep gashes on Snape, began muttering the spell that would heal him. '_Vulnera Sanentur_' she muttered over and over. Slowly, the wound on Snape's neck closed, and the blood returned. She moved down to his chest, and repeating the spell, closed the two deep gashes on his chest and one on his abdomen. She then moved back to his head, and closed the one on his face. She knew that this was one he would not be able to hide from the world. Lastly, she moved onto his arms, closing the deep gash that ran along his right forearm, and the smaller one along his left tricep.

Hermione knew that Snape was on the verge of death. He was deathly white, and cold to the touch. She felt for his pulse again. She found it, a little stronger this time. She knew there might be hope yet. She dragged his limp body to a corner of the room, and summoned a blanket from the castle. Draping it over him, she hoped that it would do for the time being. She muttered an apology, and left the room, following the path Harry and Ron had taken back up to the castle.

Voldemort had given Harry an hour, and if the fighting started again, she wanted to be a part of it. Hermione made her way quickly into the Great Hall to see if anybody she knew had come to any harm. She saw a few people she knew, other students that had been in her year at school. Many of them were nursing injuries, the odd person with a missing limb or digit. She saw Harry across the hall, and made her way towards him. They were gathered around a prone form, and when Harry moved over to let her into the circle, she saw who it was. Fred was lying on a stretcher, and George and Ron were draped over his body, sobbing. There was no doubt about it, he was dead. There was a small smile still on his face, as though he were just pulling yet another prank on them.

Hermione half expected him to sit up and tell everybody he was just joking. But she knew he would never do it. She knew he would never be making another joke, or would never be there to finish George's sentences. George. Her heart ached at the sight of him sobbing over his twin, almost wailing as if in physical pain.

Harry, his face grave, nodded to Hermione and walked slowly away. She watched him go. She knew that the feeling of guilt must be lying heavily on his heart. She saw as he stopped a little way away from where they stood, looking down at something, or someone. He put his head in his hand, wiped his face, took a deep breath and walked solemnly away.

Hermione made her way through the small crowd of injured people to where Harry had stood. She looked down at the two still figures of Lupin and Tonks. Their hands were nearly touching, and it looked as if they had just been holding hands. They looked peaceful in death, as though happy that they could be together forever. It pained Hermione to know that the couple had only recently had a baby boy, Teddy, who was with his grandmother. She knew that Teddy would grow up like Harry, having lost both parents as a baby to a fight against Voldemort. She knew the source of Harry's pain moments ago.

She thought that she would not be able to stand around for much longer just looking at the injured, so she sought out Madam Pomfrey who was currently tending to an injured seventh year boy who had lost an eye. Madam Pomfrey sent her to help tend to anybody who needed it. Hermione moved off, glad to have something to do with her hands and with her mind.


	3. Chapter 3 Severus

Chapter 3

There was nothing but bright light. When Severus opened his eyes, he felt blinded by the light. But somehow, this light was comfortable. He felt safe in it, as though he could not come to harm in any way. He stood up, and was not wearing anything. He wondered at this for a moment, and it made him feel uncomfortable. When he looked down again, he was wearing robes, but they were not his usual tight, constricting ones. He did not pay further attention to his clothing however, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

On closer inspection, it was a light. This light was different to the pure whiteness he was surrounded by. This light was shimmering and rippling, as though reflected off of water. When he looked around him more, he saw other things forming. A large willow tree formed, and so did the river on whose bank it grew. Severus marvelled at the slow formation of a place that he knew so well as a child. It was the bank of the river near his house, and the weeping willow where he often took refuge when his parents fought.

It was also a place he had taken Lily to when they were still friends, before they had begun at Hogwarts. This place was like a sanctuary to him. He sat on the edge of the water, and ran his fingers through the water. It was warm to the touch. He laid back, a smile playing on his lips. He felt peaceful here in these beautiful surroundings.

He heard a rustling of leaves nearby, and sat up, looking around. From behind him emerged a figure. He knew who it was before he saw her. Lily approached him, smiling. He had never felt happier than he had now, at this moment, in this place, with Lily. She sat down next to him.

"Hi Sev," she said. It was such a plain sentence, but he felt joy at being called by the nickname only she used for him.

"Lily," he said simply. He had so much to tell her, so much to say, to apologise for. She looked at him, smiling her beautiful smile, her green eyes glittering in the reflection of the sun. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something. "Lily, I have so much to say," he said.

"I know, Sev. But first listen to me. There is no need to apologise, for anything. I forgave you long ago, Sev. You were forgiven when you risked your life everyday for my son, for me. I want you to know that I was watching over you, as much as I have Harry. Sev, I loved you dearly. Had you not dabbled with the Dark Arts, we might have had a chance together." Severus looked at her then, his eyes shining from unshed tears. A lone tear fell, and she wiped it away with her thumb.

"I'm sorry," he choked. He had ruined everything, destroyed his one chance at happiness with the only woman he ever loved. "I did it all for you. Everything. Always for you."

"I know," she said. She picked a dying flower up off the ground and held it in her palm. The flower opened it petals, and floated off of her hand. Severus watched it floating away down the river.

"Why am I here?" he asked, suddenly remembering what had just happened to him.

"You are in Limbo, Sev. Neither here nor there. You are here because you have not decided to move on yet." He was confused at this.

"What do you mean? Am I not dead?" he asked.

"Not in the full sense of the word, no. You have been given the choice to live, or to move on. The decision lies with you." She gave him a long, hard look.

He stared out over the water, thinking. "What have I got to live for?" he asked. "There is nothing for me in the realm of the living. Everybody I know doesn't trust me, and hates me, and believes I betrayed them all. Nobody is willing to give me a chance."

"Sev, don't jump to conclusions so quickly. There are those who trust and respect you. Your choice lies partially with the efforts of such a person, who has tried her very best to try and save your life. Just give it a chance. You have the chance to be happy."

"I don't think I even know how to be happy anymore. I don't know how to be anything except cold, hard, evil, malicious Severus Snape, a feared man who nobody trusts anymore. I don't even know who I am anymore." He sighed, and gave her a wan smile. She put her arm around his shoulder, and that warmth spread over him again.

"Perhaps if you allowed yourself to feel again, and allow someone in, then maybe you will find peace and happiness."

"Allow someone in? The only person I ever let into my heart was you Lily, and it didn't end so well for me did it? And anyway, I still love you. I will love you for as long as I can have the capacity to love."

She took her arm away from his shoulder and shifted herself so that she was directly in front of him, looking into those dark eyes. "Sev. I have always loved you, I always will. But you need to move on from me and learn to live life. I am dead, Sev. You will never get anything from me, except memories, and even some of those are unpleasant for you. You must accept that, because you will never be at peace, neither here nor there, if you don't. I am not saying forget me, or stop loving me, but at least open your heart to be loved by someone else, who can love you back." Her bright green eyes glittered, and she was looking resolutely into his face, as though trying to find the answer she was looking for in his face.

After a few moments, he sighed, nodded his head and agreed with her. "I will give it a chance. I will allow myself to feel." Satisfied with his answer, she abruptly stood up. "Wait, do you have to go?" he asked pleadingly.

"I do, Sev. Harry needs me. You will be okay. Trust me. And remember that I will always be here to watch over you." She gave him a long, tight hug, looked one last time deeply into his eyes, turned and walked away. When he could no longer see her, the whiteness returned to envelop him. But this time the white faded to black, and suddenly he was back in his own body.

The pain hit him, and he writhed in agony. The gashes on his body had been healed, but the snake venom was slowly making its way around his body, moving closer to his heart with every painful beat. It felt as though fire was pumping through his veins. He could not take the pain any longer, and passed out.


	4. Chapter 4 Hermione

Chapter 4

Voldemort had only given Harry an hour to turn himself in. Ron and Hermione did not know where Harry had disappeared to after he had been in the Great Hall. Hermione hoped that he had not gone to turn himself in to Voldemort. She had spent most of the hour attending to the injured, and directing the people who brought in the dead from the battle field.

She felt glad at the chance to put herself to good use, and to distract herself from the pain of actually having to face the fact that some of her friends had been killed in the fighting. When she worked, she felt good, because she was able to use her mind actively again. It was a big change from the months and months of wondering around the countryside on what felt like a hopeless mission.

She tended to students, and members of the Order that had been injured. Some of them had been badly injured and she could not do much to help, but others, like Neville, who had received a very deep gash along his arm, she could help. She slipped a vial of Essence of Dittany into her pocket, so that she could use it on Snape's cuts if she could get to him.

When the hour was almost up, Harry returned. He found Ron and Hermione, and asked them to go somewhere quiet with him. They left the Great Hall together, and found an empty classroom. The room had desks strewn about it, and had a gaping hole in the wall. The door had been blasted off its hinges, and on a few places on the walls were black marks from unknown spells.

"I need to talk to you before I go," said Harry.

"Before you go where, mate?" asked Ron. His eyes were puffy and his nose was red. He sniffed. He had had a terrible day with the loss of his brother.

"Harry, you can't go to Voldemort. That is just suicide!" Hermione said, exasperatedly. She looked at Harry incredulously.

"I have to!" said Harry, slightly angry. "Did you not see how many people were injured and dead? It's all because of me! Because they are fighting to protect me! Hermione, I never wanted anybody to die for me. Not my parents, not Sirius, not Lupin or Tonks, not Fred. I can't let it go on." He sighed. "And anyway, I have to face him sometime. It is my destiny. The prophecy said that 'neither can live while the other survives.' That, and I am the last Horcrux." He said the last part quietly.

"What?" said Ron and Hermione together. "What do you mean, the last horcrux, mate?" said Ron. They were gaping at Harry, who looked grim.

"It's true. Those memories that Snape gave me: I went and had a look at them. There was a whole lot that proves he was always loyal to our side. Even killing Dumbledore was loyalty."

"Mate, I think you've gone bonkers. Maybe you got hit with a Confundus Charm or something, because Snape murdering Dumbledore was _loyalty_?"

"Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him. Basically Dumbledore had only a few months to live anyway, because of the Gaunt ring, and he didn't want to die a humiliating death. He knew of Malfoy's task, and so told Snape to do it instead of making Malfoy do it. He said that it would gain Voldemort's trust even more."

"But why did he do it, Harry? Why did Snape become a spy?" asked Hermione.

"He did it because he loved my mother. He always did. When he was dying he told me to look at him. I didn't know why, but I think it was so that he could see my mother's eyes again. Anyway, this is not all that I wanted to say. I have to go to Voldemort, and let him kill me, because I am the last horcrux. When he tried to kill me, and the spell rebounded on him, a part of his soul attached itself to the only other living thing that it could: me. It's why I have been able to see into his mind, and feel what he feels. The only way to kill it is for him to kill me. I have to do it. I need you two to finish the snake off, because that is also a horcrux, and then when Voldemort has no more left, kill him. Otherwise he cannot be killed."

By this time, Hermione and Ron were gaping at him again. They had been shocked into silence at what Harry had said. Lily was the reason Snape risked his life when being a spy. And the fact that Harry was a horcrux was incredible, though it made sense to Hermione. It explained a lot of things. Like when Harry wore the locket, he became angrier, because it was two parts of Voldemort's soul close together. It was why he could speak to snakes. The part about Nagini being a horcrux also made sense, because Voldemort had kept her with him all the time.

Hermione recovered first. "Ok Harry, we will kill the snake. But what will you do now?"

"Go to Voldemort. I need to do it now, because then nobody else will be hurt." Hermione knew that what he said was the truth. Her eyes welled up with tears. She hugged Harry for a long time. Ron, who seemed to understand that this was going to happen no matter what he said, joined in the hug. The three of them just stood there in a tight embrace for a long moment. Then Hermione broke free, tears streaming down her face, and Ron's too. She gave one last look at Harry before he left the room.

Hermione turned around and hugged Ron. She just sobbed into his jacket, and he held her. She could feel his silent tears falling into her hair. After a while, they broke apart, and together, returned to the Great Hall. Ginny ran up to them, a panicked look on her face.

"What happened with Harry? Where is he going? He just came in and hugged us all and left without saying a word. Tell me!" She sounded desperate. Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a moment, before Hermione spoke.

"Harry has gone to the forest." She knew that Ginny would understand what she meant by this.

"What? Why? He is not going to face Voldemort, is he? On his own? He will be killed." She was beginning to sound hysterical. She lunged forward, as if to chase after Harry, but Ron caught her around the waist.

"Ginny, he needs to do this. He has his reasons." Ron's face was set.

"He will be okay, Ginny," Hermione said, trying to comfort Ginny, but not believing the words herself. "You know how he is; gets himself into danger, but comes out of it ok. He has been in near death situations before and got himself out of it every time."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right Hermione," said Ginny, nodding, but still seeming a bit hysterical. "He'll be okay. In a little while he will walk back up those stairs, grinning, telling us he has done it. Yeah, that's what will happen."

Ron put his arm around her shoulder, and gently but firmly, guided her back to their family, still gathered around Fred. Hermione did not want to disturb the sad family, and decided that she would be better off helping others again.

After about half an hour, the sound filled the Great Hall. It was Voldemort's voice, magically magnified, and it filled every part of the Hall, and Hermione heard it as though he was standing right behind her. But the message was even more chilling than the voice itself.

"_Harry Potter is dead. The Chosen One is no more. He died a coward's death, grovelling for his life. The Battle is won. There is no longer any point resisting. If you do, you will just be killed, as will every member of your family. Come out and see that I have killed the Boy-Who-Lived. Come out, and submit to me, and I shall spare your life."_

All around her gasps of horror and shock could be heard. Many people around her, stunned looks on their faces, slowly got up and moved to the Entrance Hall. Hermione moved with them, feeling empty. Her best friend had just willingly walked into a trap, and was murdered. Standing on the lawn in front of the castle was Voldemort, flanked by about fifty or more Death Eaters, and in between them stood giants. Just behind Voldemort stood Hagrid in chains, carrying the body of her best friend. Hagrid cradled Harry to him protectively, as though determined that no more harm would come to him.

When people caught sight of Harry, a few of them screamed. One of them was Professor McGonagall. Hermione wailed, and Ron moaned. They knew that it would happen, but to see their best friend lying dead just made it more real for them. Ginny tried to run forward to Harry, but again was caught, this time by her father. He held her to him, and Hermione could see Ginny's body shaking violently with her sobs.

Hermione heard a few of the Death Eaters laughing maliciously at the survivor's anguish at seeing Harry dead. Voldemort raised his wand, and silence fell upon the crowds. Voldemort began telling the survivors how Harry died, like a coward trying to escape the grounds. Hermione knew he was lying. Harry had died knowingly. Just then, Neville broke free of the crowd, and ran towards Voldemort. Voldemort repelled him, laughing. He asked the general crowd who had stepped forward, trying to fight a lost battle.

"That's Neville Longbottom, my lord. He is the one causing all the trouble at school," said Bellatrix Lestrange, cackling with glee.

"Ah yes. You are a pure-blood, are you not?" asked Voldemort of Neville.

"So what if I am?" replied Neville, and Hermione could see he was livid.

"Why, with your bravery and courage you would be welcomed as a Death Eater. I value those traits."

"I will never, ever become a Death Eater," spat Neville.

"If that is what you choose." Voldemort raised his wand, and there was a small crash from an upstairs window. Hermione could not see what it was that was flying from the window, but when Voldemort caught it, she knew. It was the Sorting Hat. "Hogwarts is mine. From now on there will be no need for this disgusting old hat. There will only be one house, the noble house of Slytherin."

He cast a full body bind on Neville, who went rigid. Voldemort sidled up to him, and rammed the hat onto Neville's head. He stepped back, and flicked his wand again. The hat burst into flames. Just then, the scene became chaotic, as hundreds of people seemed to be hurtling towards the school. Hagrid's giant brother also appeared, and the other giants went for him. The centaurs and other creatures of the Forest seemed to join into the chaos too, and the Death Eaters were attacked from all sides.

In that moment, a glint of light caught Hermione's eye, and she turned around to see Neville swinging the Sword of Gryffindor and then Nagini was headless. She felt a tiny burst of hope, as Voldemort screamed. She looked around for Harry's body as the crowds duelled and fought each other. She did not want him to be trampled, but he was nowhere to be found.

The crowd surged inside, retreating from the giant's stamping feet, and Hermione was pulled in with it. All around her, Death Eaters were falling. Hermione saw that a lot more people had joined their side to help. Hermione saw Bellatrix Lestrange duelling with Ginny and Luna, and she ran over to help them. She cast spell after spell, trying to get at Bellatrix, her blood boiling with rage. Bellatrix cast the Killing Curse at Ginny, which missed her by an inch.

Suddenly, from behind them came Mrs Weasley. She pushed the three girls aside, and she was livid. Hermione heard Bellatrix laugh, but the laugh died on her lips, as Mrs Weasley shouted, "NOT MY DAUGHTER, BITCH!"

The two women duelled, and Mrs Weasley was a good match for Bellatrix. Bellatrix seemed to realise this as she began to snarl. The crowds of people, Hermione, Ginny and Luna included, stepped back from the duelling pair and from Voldemort duelling three others. They watched, their own fights forgotten. Suddenly, a killing curse from Mrs Weasley hit Bellatrix in the heart, and she dropped like a stone.

Voldemort was now alone. He blasted away his opponents and turned his wand on Mrs Weasley.

"_PROTEGO!" _roared someone, but nobody in the crowd had said it. Hermione looked around, confused, and gasped as Harry pulled off his invisibility cloak. He was alive! Hermione felt a surge of joy, happiness and hope at the sight of Harry. Voldemort had not killed him. The elation did not last long however, as the two began circling each other, speaking to each other.

Harry and Voldemort were arguing, Voldemort calling Harry a coward for let others die for him. Harry said that nobody will die further. Harry also told Voldemort that the wand didn't work for him because Snape was never really the true master; that Snape had been a spy all along, and the death of Dumbledore had been planned. He says that Draco had been the true master, and that he had defeated Draco weeks before, and thus he was the true master of the wand.

Voldemort seemed to have had enough of the conversation, and cast a Killing Curse, which Harry repelled with an '_Expelliarmus'. _This time, there was no Priori Incantatem, the white light Harry had told Hermione about. Instead, the killing curse just seemed to rebound on Voldemort, and he dropped dead.

There was a stunned silence for a moment, and then the people in the Hall erupted into cheers, and everyone seemed to be clamouring to talk to and congratulate Harry. The happiness in the Hall was almost palpable.

Hermione, after giving Harry congratulations and a quick hug, remembered that she had something that required her attention. She sprinted down to the tunnel at the Whomping Willow, and sprinted up to the Shrieking Shack, where she had left Snape. She ran to where he lay, covered by the blanket, and felt for a pulse. She felt a weak, fluttering heartbeat. She had hope.

Remembering that she had put a bottle of Dittany in her pocket, she whipped it out. she poured drops of the Dittany onto Snape's wounds. Combined with the spells she had used, the wounds seemed to heal until they looked as though they were a few weeks old.

She lifted Snape gently using a 'Mobilicorpus' spell, and floating him carefully in front of her, brought him back through the tunnel to Hogwarts. She was careful not to bump his head on anything. This made her remember the last time she was down the tunnel, in her third year, and Sirius had brought Snape out the tunnel in a similar manner, though not nearly as carefully.

She brought his floating body with her into the Hall. Just before she entered, she cast a Disillusionment Charm on him, so that nobody would see him. She knew where he was, because she could feel her magic working on him. She found an empty stretcher in a corner, and lowered him onto it. Looking around, she spotted Madam Pomfrey, and signalled for her to come over. The witch bustled over.

"Yes, Hermione dear? What is the matter? You aren't hurt are you?" She gave Hermione a searching look, but Hermione just shook her head.

"I need your help. But I need you to be discreet. I cannot have anybody knowing he is alive."

"Why, yes of course my dear. But who is alive? Who are you talking about?" said Madam Pomfrey. Hermione moved herself so that her body would be shielding Snape's head from the rest of the crowd, and lifted the Disillusionment Charm. Madam Pomfrey gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Hermione looked desperately into the woman's face. Madam Pomfrey regained her composure very quickly, and brought the blanket up to Snape's chin, and told Hermione not to move, and hurried away.

After a minute or two, Madam Pomfrey returned, accompanied by another witch.

"Hermione, this is a mediwitch from St Mungo's. Please allow her to take over the care of... well him." She whispered the last part, even though she never said Snape's name. Hermione moved away from Snape, and the mediwitch took hold of Snape's body, nodded to Madam Pomfrey, and Disapperated.

Hermione stared at the spot where Snape had just been, astounded that the man was still alive after his injuries, but she knew he would be okay now that he was going to St Mungo's.

"Hermione, dear, I think Mr Potter is looking for you," said Madam Pomfrey, gently. She took Hermione's arm, and guided her to where Harry sat alone, wrapped in a blanket. Hermione sat next to him, and without saying anything, she rested her head on his shoulder.

**A/N: I realise that the first four chapters are bascially a re-telling of JKR's DH, but I had to give the detail. It explains things further on. (And I had to give it more detail, because I couldnt exactly say 'She fought and they won'.)**

**Please R&R **


	5. Chapter 5 Severus

Chapter 5

It was quiet. Not a complete silence, though. Severus opened his eyes a fraction, fully expecting to still be in the Shrieking Shack, or maybe even dead. He did not, however, see the dilapidated walls of the Shack, with its peeling paint. He was very confused at what he did see, though. He opened his eyes a little more, and saw that he was in a dimly lit room, lying in a very comfortable bed, covered in blankets. He looked around, and saw a grey curtain around his bed. There was a small table next to the bed, and on it were his clothes, folded neatly into a bundle, and his wand on top of the bundle. He realised he must be in hospital. The most likely option would be St Mungo's.

He tried to sit up, but he found he could not move. He started to panic slightly, thinking that he had been restrained in his sleep. His breath quickened, and he started to sweat. Just then, someone walked into the room. He could not see who it was, and felt a stab of fear. Perhaps it was someone who would try and kill him while he was restrained. The person drew back the curtain, and a smiling woman in a mediwitch uniform revealed herself.

"Ah! I see you are awake at last! Thank goodness. We were beginning to worry that you wouldn't wake up at all." Severus winced slightly as the woman's dreadfully annoying voice penetrated his ears. He felt irritated by her cheeriness. 'There is nothing to be cheery about, woman,' thought Snape, but didn't say it.

"I assume I am in St Mungo's. Why, may I ask, have I been restrained?" he asked, the irritation he knew showed in his voice.

The mediwitch's face fell. "My dear, you have not been restrained. There is no need for it; you are no fugitive or prisoner."

"Then why, pray tell, _can I not move?_" He hissed these last words angrily. If he was not restrained, then they must have given him a paralysing potion of some sorts.

"Do you not remember the events that led to your current circumstances?" she asked, kindly. Severus thought back. He had been in the Shack, had spoken to Voldemort, and then... the snake had attacked him. He felt the blood drain from his face.

"You... you mean... that I have been... that the snake..." he stuttered. The thought of it, the very idea of it scared him. Paralysed. He could not move, because the snake venom had paralysed him.

"Yes, my dear. The snake's venom had a neurotoxin, which made you paralysed. You were lucky that we got you here in time to prevent it from going further up than your neck. It was magical venom, and it seemed its only purpose was paralysis. Thankfully, though, or you would be dead."

"Yes, thankfully. Because it is _so_ much better being paralysed from my neck down," replied Severus, sarcastically.

"I am so glad to see you are keeping a positive attitude," said the mediwitch, and her cheeriness had returned. She bustled about the room, taking his vitals, fixing the blanket, and with a smile at him, said, "Dear, if you need anything, just call. Someone will be around to help," and then left the room.

He was now in a very bad mood. He had decided to live rather than go on with Lily, because she had asked him to try and live a happy life. She had so believed that he would be happy. Now he was questioning his choice. Paralysis was more humiliating than death. He had had his pride his whole life, and kept his dignity, even under torture. But now, he had to rely on others for everything. He had never relied on others for anything, ever. He always found that nobody was reliable, and preferred to do the job himself.

He tried to move his fingers, and felt them moving. But when he looked down, he realised that it was just his mind playing tricks. It was a strange feeling. He consciously told his arm to move, willed it with all his might. Again, he imagined it moving, slightly forward, but again, it went nowhere. He felt as though he was just a head attached to a foreign and useless body.

Suddenly, he felt claustrophobic. He felt trapped, tied down. He could feel the panic rising up inside of him, and a knot forming in his stomach. His breath quickened, and his heart raced. He felt his eyes prickling from the tears that were forming. All he wanted to do was thrash around, feel himself moving, but all he could do was lie there.

After a few moments of this panic, he took a deep, shaky breath. 'You have to remain calm,' he told himself. 'You can find a way to fix this, you always do. This will not be a permanent problem.'

'Don't lie to yourself,' another voice in his head scolded him. 'Of course this is permanent. You are paralysed, you fool. This is not like some injury you can just heal with a potion or spell.'

'Yes, it is. I am a wizard. I am sure that somewhere there is a spell or potion that can fix this. I _will not_ give up.' He quickly silenced the other voice in his head telling him he can't do it. He would just have to hire a helper. That would be the problem though.

A few hours later, someone else came into the room. This time it was a mediwizard. By now, Severus had calmed himself down, and had resigned himself to the fact that he was paralysed. The wizard was also wearing the uniform of St Mungo's. He took out a clipboard with a parchment attached to it.

"Mr S Snape, injured during the Battle of Hogwarts. Snake bite. Venom caused paralysis of the body below the neck. Arrived at St Mungo's 2nd May 1998," said the man, reading off of the parchment. He looked up at Severus.

"I am aware of who I am and what happened to me, thank you very much." This man irritated Severus.

"Good. I see your vitals are fine. I am here to sign you out. The Headmistress of Hogwarts has requested you to be transferred back there so that you can be cared for further by the school nurse."

"And what if I do not wish to go back to Hogwarts?" asked Severus.

"Well, I don't quite think you are in any position to look after yourself. And anyway, the rules state that you may not be released unless there is someone to care for you. I have checked your records, and you have no other living family. The Headmistress has informed me they will take you in." The mediwizard gave Severus a stern look, and he was somehow reminded of McGonagall. He sighed, and knew that the wizard spoke the truth about him having no other relatives. He would just have to face the anger and resentment and would deal with it as it came. Severus nodded, and the wizard signed the parchment.

"Someone will come shortly to take you back to Hogwarts. I will send instructions on your treatment with an owl. Good luck." The man turned around, and with the clipboard under his arm, walked briskly out of the room.

A few minutes passed, and then the cheery witch returned. Severus sighed inwardly. At least this time her visit would be brief. She smiled at him and then walked around to where his clothes lay.

"Let me just help you dress, and then I will take you back to Hogwarts."

"I will not be dressed by a complete stranger, and you are a witch," said Severus, indignantly.

"Well, do you want to return to Hogwarts in just a hospital gown?" she asked. She had a point. He did not particularly want to be so exposed. He still had some kind of dignity.

"Fine. But I still refuse to be dressed by a witch." She gave him a long look, and then nodded and smiled.

"I will find someone else to help you, but then I will be back to return you to Hogwarts." She walked out the room, and not a minute later, a mediwizard entered. He nodded at Severus, and went around to his pile of clothes.

The wizard helped him into his clothes, which still had rips in them from his attack, and were covered in dry blood. This made him uncomfortable, but he had nothing else to wear. He knew he could replace them when he arrived at Hogwarts. Severus could feel himself blushing slightly when the wizard helped him with his trousers. When he was done, the wizard nodded again, and walked out of the room. Severus looked down at himself, and felt slightly ashamed. He did not look at all presentable.

The cheery witch returned yet again. She smiled at him – 'She is always bloody smiling,' thought Severus, - and picked him up by the shoulders and under his knees. She was surprisingly strong for such a young woman, but then he did remind himself that she was a witch.

She took hold of a matchbox, and put Severus' finger on it too, and counted to three. Severus knew that he should be feeling a pulling sensation somewhere behind his navel, but felt nothing. The Portkey took them to the edge of the village of Hogsmeade, at the gates of Hogwarts. The mediwitch put the matchbox in her pocket, and started to move forward.

"Wait," said Severus. She stopped. "Please cast a Disillusionment Charm on me. I do not particularly want to be seen by Hogwarts students in this state."

The witch put Severus on the ground, withdrew her wand from her sleeve, and cast the charm. Severus had the strange sensation of an egg being cracked on his head. He knew that he was blending into the environment. The witch, staring at the place where he had vanished, bent down, and patted the ground until she found him. This time, instead of carrying him, she cast 'Mobilicorpus' on him, and he could see the ground under him rising slowly.

After she had done as he had requested she proceeded to walk forwards, and entered through the school gates. Severus felt strange as the ground passed below him silently, without being supported by anything. He turned his head this way and that, taking in the view of the grounds. The grounds, once exquisite in its beauty, with perfectly kept lawns, and neat bushes, was now a desolate scene. The grass had been trampled flat, and some patches of grass were stained red. Many of the beautiful bushes had been blasted away.

The closer they got to the castle, the worse the scene became. In the distance, Severus could see the Quidditch pitch in ruins. Most of the stands had fallen down, and the hoops through which the teams scored were gone. As they rounded a corner, the castle came into view. The mediwitch gasped and stopped, as did Severus.

The once magnificent and majestic castle was in ruins. There were gaping holes in many places on the facade, and one of the towers had been destroyed completely. Between the giants and the fighters, Hogwarts castle was no longer the beauty it once was.

Severus felt a pang of sadness. This had been his home for more years than the home at Spinner's End. The mediwitch sighed, and continued onwards, up to the castle steps. The stone steps had large chunks missing from it. The Entrance Hall was in complete ruin, and Severus did not want to know what the Great Hall looked like. They climbed the steps in the enchanted stairwell. Severus was surprised that there were no students to be seen. The castle was silent, and it was eerie. This was not the silence Severus was used to when he stalked around the castle at night.

He lost track of which way they went, and which floor he was on. He was too distracted by the sights of the castle. Suddenly, the mediwitch came to a halt, and Severus looked up. They were outside the door of the Hospital Wing. The witch knocked on the door, and footsteps could be heard. The door was opened, and Madam Pomfrey looked at the witch confusedly. The witch told her she had "the patient", and Madam Pomfrey nodded, and led her across the ward, into another smaller side room.

Severus was lowered onto the only bed in the room, and the Disillusionment charm was lifted. Madam Pomfrey gasped at the sight of him, and tears welled up in her eyes. She suddenly sniffed very loudly and took a deep breath.

"Severus, I am so glad you are ok. Don't worry, we will take good care of you." She seemed to regain her composure, and became the stern Poppy Pomfrey that he had always known.

"Thank you, Poppy. I do appreciate this," was all he could say.

She turned and thanked the cheery mediwitch.

"Now you take care, dear. Good luck." She smiled and left the room. He was not sorry to see her go. Her chipper attitude annoyed him immensely.

Madam Pomfrey looked at Severus, and said, "Good grief! Look what you are wearing. Those robes are a complete mess. We have to get you out of those immediately. I will send a house elf down to your chambers to get your pyjamas. At least you can be comfortable. Is there anything you need, dear?" she asked.

"This whole situation is humiliating enough as it is. Please don't let anybody but the necessary people know that I am here."

"Of course, Severus. The only people that will be informed are Professor McGonagall, and my assistant. That is why I placed you in a private room, so nobody but us will know." She gave him a sad smile, and left the room.

He lay there for a long time, looking around his room, taking it all in. There was a rather rickety chair next to his bed, as well as a bedside table. The room was small, but not uncomfortably so. There was a fireplace, and in front of it were two very comfortable-looking armchairs. His room was brightly lit as the sunshine from a large window flooded the room. From where he lay, he could not see much out of the window except blue sky. The bed he was lying on was against the wall in the middle of the room, and the door was opposite his bed. The walls were bare, and the curtains dull. Before, he had liked the bare walls in his dungeon chambers, but now, when he was a prisoner in his own body, he longed for something more to look at. He made a mental note to ask Poppy for some decoration at a later stage.

The door to his room opened, and someone wearing jeans and a light blue jumper stood in the doorway, with her back to him, talking to someone outside. He looked at the brown hair that was tied up, and felt he knew that girl.

Then she turned around, and Severus got a shock. The girl was none other than Hermione Granger, a past pupil, and one of the Golden Trio. She caught sight of him, gasped and dropped the bundle she was holding. She stood stock-still, staring at him. She had obviously not been alerted to his presence. He thought that she must have been one of those who assumed him dead. After a moment she seemed to pull herself together, and bent down to pick up the bundle. She came over to his bedside, and he watched her approach cautiously.

"Miss Granger, you have nothing to fear. I cannot harm you, or anyone for that matter. I am paralysed," said Severus calmly. He figured that she was the assistant, but this did not make his life any better. He had always found her an insufferable know-it-all.

"Professor, I am just surprised to see you here, that's all."

"You are surprised to see me alive?" he asked.

"No, I knew you were alive. But I am surprised to see you here." She seemed to be calm, and stood looking at him. He felt slightly uncomfortable under that gaze. He had never really paid much attention to her.

"Well, I assume you are the assistant I was told about?" he asked.

"Yeah, actually I am. I enjoyed helping Madam Pomfrey during the battle, and I seemed to be good at it, so I am helping her with the other patients and survivors." She gave him a small smile. "Professor, Madam Pomfrey told me you needed help to change into your pyjamas. Do you still need it?" she asked, cautiously.

"Seeing as these clothes are 'a complete mess' as Poppy put it, I certainly cannot remain in them. And due to my... problem," he said, delicately, "I think that your help would certainly be needed. That is unless you intend for me to remain uncomfortable."

"No, I don't. It's just... I thought you might be uncomfortable with me helping you."

"Well who else is there? Just get on with it. This is no more fun for me than it is for you."

Hermione nodded and unwrapped the bundle. It contained his long black pyjama pants and a black t-shirt. He sighed inwardly. This would possibly be the most humiliating moment in his life.


	6. Chapter 6 Hermione

Chapter 6

Hermione had really enjoyed helping Madam Pomfrey with the injured fighters from the battle. It made her feel alive, and useful. She felt like she was doing something good. As soon as the chaos of the aftermath of the victory had subdued, and she had both celebrated and mourned with Harry and Ron, she had sought out Madam Pomfrey and asked her if she could help with anybody who went to the Hospital Wing.

After the Battle, most of the students opted to go home, and stay until the start of the new term in September. Many of the older students, and the remaining Order members had chosen to stay, and help with the renovation of the castle. Harry had been one of them who chose to stay, and so then had Ron. Ginny insisted that she stay, and after a heated argument with her mother, had been allowed to stay.

Hermione could see that she and Harry were going to resume their relationship. Neither had stopped loving the other, and it was obvious. Everybody turned to Harry for his guidance and leadership. Despite him being seventeen years of age, he was respected as a hero. Hermione could understand why they did. Harry had saved the world, both magical and muggle, of the most evil wizard in hundreds of years. He had ended the many, many years of terror, and had given many people back freedom. Some hailed him as a hero because he had killed the wizard who had killed or tortured their families and friends. But she knew that Harry did not want to be treated as such. She knew he wanted to be treated like a normal person, and that was why he was helping the renovation efforts.

A day or two after the war had ended Harry had organized a mass memorial for all those who had been killed. Everybody who had fought attended, as well as their families. He had organized for hundreds of chairs to be set out on the lawn, and soon the whole lawn was full of people. Behind the rows and rows of chairs stood the centaurs, standing tall and proud. Hermione was a little surprised at just how many had come to pay tribute to the fallen.

Hermione was reminded somewhat of Dumbledore's funeral. The lake glittered in the sunlight, looking innocent, as though there had never been a war.

Harry stood in the front of the crowd, and spoke. He spoke of the bravery and courage shown by each and every person in the war, saying that every person had been important and had all played a role in the downfall of Voldemort. He then read the list of those who had died during the Battle of Hogwarts.

"... Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Colin Creevy, Fred Weasley, Severus Snape..." read Harry. When he finished the list, he said, "All of these people died heroes, fighting for the freedom of the magical world. They should be remembered as heroes. Let us please hold a minutes silence to respect those fallen heroes." A silence fell over the crowd, broken only by the odd sniffing or muffled sobs from those around them.

After the memorial, Harry had had a meeting with the Heads to discuss the renovations. He had told them he wanted to include a statue of Dumbledore, under which the names of the fallen would be placed, so that they could always be remembered. They agreed, but had wanted to add Harry to the statue with Dumbledore. Harry agreed, but after much persuasion.

Hermione had gone straight to the Hospital Wing as soon as the memorial had ended. She made herself useful tending to those that needed it, and looked after those that would be in there for a while.

It had only been a few days after the war, when Madam Pomfrey, or Poppy, as Hermione was allowed to call her, handed her a bundle of clothing, and asked her to go tend to the new patient in the private room. Hermione took the bundle, and backed into the room, while Poppy told her to be utterly discreet. She nodded and turned around.

She jumped and dropped the clothing. The man lying in the bed was none other than Severus Snape. She just stared at him. He was alive, she had known, but she didn't think he would be discharged from St Mungo's so soon. And she had never thought he would return to Hogwarts.

What also shocked her was his appearance. He was still wearing the clothing he had almost died in, and they were filthy and blood-stained. He looked so pale, and had got thinner since she had helped him. He was lying still on the bed, as if afraid he might scare her.

"Miss Granger, you have nothing to fear. I cannot harm you, or anyone for that matter. I am paralysed," he said, and his voice sounded raspy and hoarse. It was then that she realised the reason for his stillness. It was not that he was afraid, but it was that he could not move. She felt a pang of sorrow at his situation.

"Professor, I am just surprised to see you here, that's all." In truth, she was. She never thought she would see him again.

"You are surprised to see me alive?" he asked.

"No, I knew you were alive. But I am surprised to see you here." She looked at him, taking in his appearance. As she had thought, there was a scar across his cheek which was bright pink and raised. She looked into his eyes, and saw, for the first time, emotion. She could not tell what emotion it was, but it was there, as though something in him had shifted.

"Well, I assume you are the assistant I was told about?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah, actually I am. I enjoyed helping Madam Pomfrey during the battle, and I seemed to be good at it, so I am helping her with the other patients and survivors." She smiled a small smile at him, and then suddenly remembered her reason for being there. "Professor, Madam Pomfrey told me you needed help to change into your pyjamas. Do you still need it?" she asked, carefully. She did not think that the man would appreciate her help, as he had always been such a proud and dignified man.

"Seeing as these clothes are 'a complete mess' as Poppy put it, I certainly cannot remain in them. And due to my... problem, I think that your help would certainly be needed. That is unless you intend for me to remain uncomfortable." He seemed to be embarrassed at the situation.

"No, I don't. It's just... I thought you might be uncomfortable with me helping you."

"Well who else is there? Just get on with it. This is no more fun for me than it is for you."

'Well,' she thought, 'at least he still has his sarcasm. He hasn't changed entirely.'

She just nodded to him, and unwrapped the bundle of what was obviously his pyjamas. There was a pair of long black pants, and a black t-shirt. Of course it would be black, what else would he be wearing.

She decided to start with his shirt, and delay the embarrassment for the both of them of changing his pants. She raised the bed so that he was in a near sitting position. She surveyed his outfit. He was wearing a white button-up shirt, and long black pants. The staff at St Mungo's obviously thought it unnecessary to put all of his usual clothing on, which included a black waistcoat and the signature black billowing robes. They had sent them with him instead.

She undid all the buttons of his shirt. She could see he was not enjoying this. When she opened his shirt, she was ready for the multitude of scars that riddled his body. She saw the thick knotted one on his neck where Nagini had bitten him, the one on his pectoral muscle and the one over his left shoulder, as well as the one across his abdomen. As she took off the shirt entirely, the one on each arm was revealed to her as well.

She looked at his body, as she put on his black t-shirt. He had obviously once been a very well defined man, and there was still evidence of the strong muscles of his chest and stomach. But now he was getting thinner and thinner. She could see he had lost a lot of weight in a little time, having been bed ridden for days.

Finally it came time for the inevitable: his pants. She unbuttoned his pants as fast as she could, and noticed that he had his eyes closed and his head turned away. She knew this was humiliating for him, but had to do it anyway. She pulled his pants down, but struggled slightly with him sitting on them. Eventually she got them off, and without looking too much at his legs, pulled his other pants on.

When she was done, she stood back and cleared her throat. He opened his eyes again, and looked at her, and she could feel herself blushing.

"Is there anything else you need, Professor?" she asked tentatively. She wanted to get out the room as fast as she could. That had been embarrassing for the both of them.

"Actually, Miss Granger, would you be so kind as to move me closer to the window, where I will be able to see out into the grounds?" He asked this so nicely, well as nicely as he could anyway.

She went back to his side and pushed the bed closer to the window. She propped him up on the pillows so he could see nicely into the grounds.

"Thank you, Miss Granger." Hermione knew that tone of voice, even if it was raspy and hoarse. She had just been dismissed. She hurried out of the room, and went straight to Poppy's office.

"Why did you not tell me who it was that was in there, Poppy?" asked Hermione, rather angrily.

"My dear, you were the one who brought him up to the castle in the first place. You were the one who saved his life. His being here should not be that much of a shock, surely." Poppy gave Hermione an enquiring look. Hermione shook her head, more to herself than Poppy. "I must ask you, though, that nobody else be alerted to his presence. It could cause a bit of an uproar."

"But Poppy, I must at least tell Harry. We owe him that much. And anyway, Snape's name can't go on the memorial statue, because he is not technically dead."

"Hermione, let Severus decide if he wants to tell Harry. And to be honest, it is due to Severus that we were successful in the war. I think his name should go there, even if he did survive. Nobody need ever know he is here. Do I make myself clear? Not even Harry can know."

"Alright, alright. I won't say anything." Hermione knew that Poppy had a point. She also had to agree with Snape's name going on the statue. He had been one of the four key players in the war, after all.

**Thank you to those who reviewed. It makes me smile, and motivates me to write more. :)**


	7. Chapter 7 Severus

Chapter 7

Severus lay propped up on the pillows, staring out the window. Hermione had been so kind as to push the bed up to the window so he could see out. He watched as small figures below were moving about on the lawn below. He could not tell from so far up what exactly it was that they were doing, and watched with mild curiosity. There were not many people, but they all seemed to be doing something.

After a while, his mind began to drift. He thought back over his life, and remembered all the best and worst times he had experienced.

He thought back to when he had been on the Hogwarts Express for the first time in his life, sitting with Lily Evans. The two boys, James Potter and Sirius Black, who were sitting in the compartment with them had been rude and teased him about wanting to be in Slytherin. Lily had come to his defence then, but that was before he called her a... well, he felt ashamed at his behaviour that day when he had been humiliated. It was that day that he had lost all hope of ever having a chance with her.

He also thought back to the night Lily was killed. Severus had felt the pain in his Dark Mark. He knew that something had happened. He knew that Voldemort had planned to go to the Potter residence, and all his pleading for Lily had been for nothing. Severus went immediately to Godric's Hollow, where the Dark Lord had told him he would be.

The house had been in ruin. Severus stood outside the house for several moments, not daring to believe that this was the house. He entered cautiously, because he had to know if it was her or not. He had walked down the passage, and through the doorway into the nursery, with the door blasted off its hinges. The first thing Severus saw, however, had been Lily. He knew she was dead, and fell to his knees, and took her up in his arms, cradling her against him, weeping. He had never felt pain like that before, and vowed then and there that his heart would always belong to her. He heard noises from below, and had no choice but to disappear.

Severus sighed. Those were painful memories that he did not want to revisit again. He turned his attention back to the figures moving below him. It looked to him like they were moving rocks, and could not understand why they would do such an odd task.

He heard a soft knocking on the door.

"Enter," he said. He hadn't noticed before how raspy his voice sounded. He didn't particularly like it. Hermione opened the door, and carried in a tray.

"I just thought you might be hungry, sir," she said. He thought that she was acting cautiously around him, as though he were fragile and might break at any moment. He hadn't thought about food, but now suddenly he realised that he hadn't eaten at all that day. He felt starving.

"Actually, I am rather hungry. What is on the menu for today?" he asked. He watched her carefully as she approached his bed, and put the food down on the bedside table. She pulled up the rickety chair, and sat next to him. He had never before noticed her looks. As she sat, he saw her hair, no longer bushy, but wavy instead, fall in front of her face. He watched her pull her fingers through her hair, and tie it loosely up.

She picked up a bowl off the tray, and showed it to him.

"Vegetable soup. I thought that it would be good for you to get some nutrients. I don't really want to see you waste away."

'How thoughtful,' he thought. "Sounds good to me Miss Granger." It certainly smelled good too.

"Professor, I have to, um... well feed you," she said shyly. It seemed to him that she was uncomfortable about the arrangement too. Good, he did not want her to take any pleasure out of this.

"What, do you think that the food will just jump into my mouth of its own accord, Miss Granger? Of course I need to be fed, as much as I hate to admit it," he said sullenly.

She nodded, and placed a napkin under his chin. 'If you think I am going to mess, you will be sorely mistaken,' he thought. She picked up the bowl of soup, and scooped up a spoon of the liquid inside. She brought it slowly to his mouth, careful not to mess, and he took the mouthful. The soup was hot, and tasted wonderful. He knew she had a point when she said he needed nutrients. He felt thin.

After a while of silent feeding, Hermione put the empty bowl back onto the tray. Severus felt really humiliated. He was not a small child, and yet his circumstances forced him to be fed like one. When she was done, she fixed the blanket, fixed the pillows behind his head so he was comfortable.

He resumed his watching of the small figures below, and after a moment said, "What are they doing down below there?"

She moved over to the window and looked out, silent for a long moment. He was struck by her beauty yet again as the rays of the setting sun made her face glow. He stared at her, and then caught himself and looked out the window.

"Those are the volunteers who are helping to rebuild the castle before term starts again. Harry and the other Heads of House decided to get straight to it during the summer holiday." She watched the people below for a moment with an almost sad look on her face. It was obvious that something bugged her.

"What is the matter?" he asked, his voice almost gentle. He surprised even himself, and he saw the look of near shock on her face.

"It's nothing to worry about. I don't want to burden you with my problems." She sighed and turned to leave the room. "I will be back tomorrow, and we can do some exercise for your limbs. I think you need it. Anyway, if you need something, just call. I can hear you from the next room. Good night sir." Before he could say anything she had left and closed the door behind her.

He watched the sun go down over the horizon, and thought how absolutely beautiful it was, the last rays of the sun lighting up the sky with pink and purple and gold. The natural lighting of the room had gone, and was replaced with darkness. Hermione had not lit any lamps while she had been there. Severus was okay with it though, because he felt absolutely exhausted anyway, and needed a good night's rest. He rested his head against the pillows, and closed his eyes, falling asleep very quickly.

His dreams were plagued with images of a snake, twenty feet high, rearing up and preparing to strike. He saw a deathly white face laughing at him in a high, evil cold laugh. The face hissed something and the snake lunged forward, biting him over and over and...

He was shaken awake, and was feeling disorientated. The room was still dark, and for a moment he thought the snake was still there. He looked around, panicked, and had broken into a cold sweat. Then a lamp was lit, and from the gentle glow he could see Hermione in her dressing gown, her hair tied up behind her head.

"Professor, are you ok?" she asked worriedly. Her face was pale in the dim light, and he could see the concern etched on her face.

"Yes, yes I am alright. It was just a dream. No need to worry about it." He took a deep breath. He did want to seem weak in front of her. She shook her head.

"I know what will help. My mother used to do this for me when I had nightmares. I'll be right back." She walked out of the room. He lay in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling, waiting.

On her return, she carried two mugs with her. She set them down on the bedside table. She propped him up on the pillows again, and took one of the mugs.

"Hot chocolate. I always find it helps calm the nerves a bit." She smiled, and he could see that it was a genuinely caring smile.

"Well, let's have it then," he said. He leaned his head forward so as to not spill any. She brought the cup up and gently tilted it forward, allowing him to sip the hot liquid. She put his mug down, and picked up her own.

"When I was small, my mother used to tell me a bedtime story to help me sleep. I won't do it, don't worry," she said, obviously seeing the horrified look on Severus' face. "What I am trying to say is that the talking helped. I always found it soothing."

He gave her a long searching look. He could see in her dark brown eyes that she was not making fun of him; she just wanted to make him feel better.

"Miss Granger, do you know how I arrived at St Mungo's? The last recollection I have before waking up is of being attacked," he said. This was something that had been bugging him. Someone had obviously saved him, because he had nearly died in the Shack. But he had no idea who would _want_ to save him. It was something he had never expected of anyone.

She shifted uncomfortably on the edge of the bed where she sat. "I think... I think that is something you don't need to know at this moment. I will tell you, soon, but now is not the time." She picked up the mug for him again, and offered it to him. He took another sip. She seemed to be lost in thought as she helped him drink. After the mug was empty, she got up and made to leave.

"Miss Granger," said Severus. She stopped. "Thank you for the hot chocolate." She nodded and left. He was once again in the darkness. He looked out of the window into the dark grounds. He wondered at her reaction when he asked that question. There was obviously something she was not telling him. Now he was even more curious than before as to his mystery saviour.

**A/N: To my dear readers. I just wanted to thank all those who have put my story on alert, or favorited, or reviewed. You all make me so very happy. **


	8. Chapter 8 Hermione

Chapter 8

Hermione could hear Snape making a noise in the room next door. She darted out of bed, and quickly checked the time while she threw on her nightgown. It was two in the morning. She hurried out of her room to his, rubbing her tired eyes.

She entered the room, and saw him lying quite still, except his head was turning from side to side. He was moaning, "No, no... Get away from me... Don't hurt me... Please, I beg of you!" It was clear that he was only having a nightmare, and not dying, and she calmed herself a little.

She took his hand and shook it. "Professor Snape," she whispered. It did nothing, and he continued with his head tossing. If he were not unable to move, she was sure he would be thrashing around violently. She tapped his shoulder, and said a little louder, "Sir... wake up..."

He still did not respond. She started to worry now. He was pale and drenched in sweat. In a last desperate attempt at waking him she shook his shoulders. He woke with a start, and looked very confused and disorientated. He looked around quickly, as though trying to see something. She realised that it was pitch black, having not lit the lamp yet.

She quickly conjured up her famous blue bell flames. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with fear.

"Professor, are you ok?" she asked worriedly. She could see that it had been a bad nightmare, because his face gleamed with sweat in the light.

"Yes, yes I am alright. It was just a dream. No need to worry about it." He set his face into the emotionless mask it usually was, but she had seen the fear. She just shook her head. She remembered what her mother used to do when she had had a nightmare as a small child. She decided to risk it.

"I know what will help. My mother used to do this for me when I had nightmares. I'll be right back." She left the room, and went to her room.

"Winky?" she said quietly into the darkness. There was a small 'pop' and the house elf apperated into the room. Winky had cleaned herself up since Hermione's fourth year. Back then, Winky had become so depressed at her former master's death, and she became a drunk. But since Dobby died she had cleaned up her act, the other elves having reminded her that it was all the Dobby wanted for her to be happy again.

"Winky, please would you be so kind as to bring up two cups of hot chocolate," she asked kindly.

"Winky will bring it right away, Miss." She gave a broad grin and vanished. Hermione had persisted in being nice to Winky, and it had eventually paid off. Winky seemed to have taken a liking to Hermione, and always did as she asked.

Not a minute later Winky returned with two full steaming mugs of hot chocolate. She thanked Winky, and took them to Snape's room. She carefully carried the mugs over to his bedside table, and sat on the edge of the bed. She picked up one of the mugs.

"Hot chocolate. I always find it helps calm the nerves a bit." She smiled at him, and he just looked at her.

After a moment, he said, "Well, let's have it then." He leaned forward and she gently tipped the hot liquid into his mouth. She put his mug down and picked up her own. She suddenly felt a pang of home sickness. She hadn't seen her parents in almost a year, having sent them to Australia with new identities and no memory of her.

"When I was small, my mother used to tell me a bedtime story to help me sleep." She saw the horrified look on his face and quickly reassured him. "I won't do it, don't worry." She paused. "What I am trying to say is that the talking helped. I always found it soothing."

He was quiet for a moment, still looking at her, as though to try find some hint that she was making fun of him.

"Miss Granger, do you know how I arrived at St Mungo's? The last recollection I have before waking up is of being attacked," he asked, eventually. She felt a blush beginning to creep up her face and was grateful of the dim light. She did not want to reveal to him just yet that it had been her who saved him. She didn't want things to get awkward with him, and she knew it would once he knew the truth.

"I think... I think that is something you don't need to know at this moment. I will tell you, soon, but now is not the time," she said carefully. She gauged his reaction to see if he was perhaps angry or annoyed. He wasn't either of those, so she picked up his mug again and helped him drink.

She became lost in thought, thinking about her parents and if they were okay. She was considering, not for the first time, if her decision had been the right one. She missed them dearly, and wondered if she would ever be able to get them back. She doubted it, and pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She missed her mother probably the most, her smell, one that cannot be described, except perhaps as the way that mothers smell. She missed her father too, who used to read to her as a child, and would engage her interest in anything and everything.

Time passed quickly and soon the mug she gave him was empty. She was still thinking about her parents when she got up to leave.

"Miss Granger," said Snape, and brought her out of her reverie. "Thank you for the hot chocolate." She nodded to him and left. Back in her room she thought about what had just happened. He had seemed genuine about his thank you, and she was surprised. She had usually expected a snarky comment or for him to just ignore her. It was the first time she had ever heard him say those words.

She got back into bed and switched off the lamp. She lay in the dark for a while, considering him. He had always been a solitary man, and seemed to prefer his own company. He had not often been at meals except for dinner sometimes and important functions.

She wouldn't have thought him even capable of feeling anything if she did not know that he had been in love with Lily all his life. She knew he was wearing a mask to cover his pain, his emotions. She figured that he had only been used to doing it for so long, what with spying on Voldemort for Dumbledore for almost two decades.

She decided she would try and break through that cold hard mask and try and get him to feel, like a normal person, no matter how long it took her.

She closed her eyes, and went to sleep, happy with her new challenge ahead.

**A/N: I realise this is more or less a repeat of the previous chapter, but I had to include Hermione's side of the story, to give a bit more insight into her own thoughts and feelings. I realise this might be going a little slowly, but bare with me, it gets far more interesting from here onwards. **

**I also wanted to thank everyone who reviewed so far. Your positive words have been a huge motivation, and puts a smile on my face. You are awesome**


	9. Chapter 9 Severus

Chapter 9

Severus woke early the next morning. The sun was only just now beginning to rise. He watched as the pinks and oranges and reds filled the sky. It looked as though the sky was on fire. He watched as the sky lightened more and more as the sun rose. Then suddenly the sun broke over the horizon, and the grounds filled with the early morning light. He squinted as the rays came through his window, falling on his face. He listened to the birds twittering to each other, and felt that this was certainly extremely peaceful. He cleared his mind of all worries and thoughts, and just took in the beauty of the scenery. It was moments like this he was - sort of - glad to be alive.

It was maybe an hour since he had woken up, and was now beginning to get bored. Hermione hadn't come in yet, and he was feeling agitated again.

Just then he heard a noise outside his door, and then voices. Severus strained to hear who it was and what they were saying. The door opened, and Hermione backed into the room, quickly shutting the door behind her, and leaned against it. He gave her an inquisitive look, as if to ask what had just happened.

"Sorry about that, there was someone who is a little... confused... try and get in here. We only just managed to stop him. He put up a bit of a fight. But it's ok now." She was wearing a white dressing gown, and slippers. Her hair was still a bit unruly, and when she caught sight of herself in the small mirror on the wall, she sighed.

"Let me just go fix myself up. I won't be long." He had not said a word yet, slightly bemused by what had just happened. A small smile played on his face. Hermione saw this and started to laugh. He smiled a little more at her, and she started laughing even more.

The sound was like a sweet melody to his ears, and he unintentionally started laughing with her, but when he realised what he just did, he stopped himself. He did not want to show her too much emotion. He thought that she hadn't heard it, laughing herself. She never showed any reaction anyway.

Soon her laughter died to just a smile. She turned and left the room, closing the door securely behind her. He stared after her, long after the door had closed. Where had this reaction come from? he thought to himself.

'She is a woman, Severus, and a beautiful one at that,' said that annoying voice in his head once more. Yes, she was, he wasn't going to deny it, but he scolded himself.

'She was my student. She was scared of me at one point. I cannot have anything with her. Ever. And why would I want to? She is not Lily. I love Lily. I cannot love anybody else,' he told himself.

'Remember what she told you? You need to move on. You need to give someone a chance. And Hermione is a special woman. Give her a chance.'

'Maybe,' he thought.

She came back, and was running her fingers through her hair once more, and tied it up. She came over to his bed, and stood next to him.

"I am so sorry Professor. I didn't mean to laugh like that. I couldn't help it." She looked ordinary in just a pair of jeans and white jumper. But Severus thought she made ordinary look beautiful.

"It is alright, Miss Granger. I could see the funny side to it too." She stared momentarily. He knew that she was most likely shocked at what he had said.

"I am glad then," she said. "And sir, please would you call me Hermione."

"Alright, Hermione it is then," he said, almost sarcastically. _Almost_. "What is the plan for today?" he asked.

"Well, I think it would be a good idea for you to exercise your muscles and move your limbs, because you don't want them seizing up or wasting away."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that? Unless you haven't noticed, I cannot move at all except my head." She blushed slightly.

'Well, I can't change overnight now, can I? I have to at least keep my humour,' he thought.

"I am aware of that fact, Professor. I was going to say that I will help you." She did not seem to let the dry sarcasm get to her.

"It is not as if I have much choice in the matter anyway." He said this quietly.

"Of course you do. I would not do something against your wishes." She gave him a long look, and he could almost feel her intent gaze upon him.

"Alright, alright. Enough of this. Let's just get on with it, shall we?" He didn't want to get complicated at this moment.

She nodded. She lifted the sheet off of him, and then moved the pillows so that he was lying flat. He did not know what she had in mind for the exercises, but didn't really have much say in them anyway. He had to admit to himself that he liked the company, and it was something to do besides stare at bare walls and outside. As much as he loved the view outside, it could at times get a bit boring.

As soon as she touched his body, he could feel it. Feeling was returning to his previously numb body. He smiled.

"What's so funny?" she asked, catching the look on his face.

"There is nothing funny, more exciting. I can feel what you are doing. It is not numb anymore." He had to control himself, control his excitement, because he could almost feel it bursting inside of him. He didn't want to get his hopes up just yet. This did not necessarily mean anything.

"Oh, Professor! That is fantastic!" she beamed at him, and he could sense her excitement too.

"But please, don't let that stop you. I think the exercise is a good idea," he said, gently reminding her of what needed to be done.

"Oh yes, sorry." She smiled as she worked, stretching out his limbs, moving them so that they worked a bit. Now that he had feeling back, he could feel just how stiff his limbs were. The stretching felt so good. He didn't feel so trapped anymore.

"Professor, I am going to give you a massage. I read somewhere that it helps. I just don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," she said, after she had stretched out his limbs. This was an offer he couldn't refuse, partly because he didn't want to, and partly because if she wanted to give him a massage, she would probably do it anyway.

"Go ahead, whatever you feel is necessary."

She put her hands on his chest, and slowly but firmly rubbed his chest muscles. They felt so weak, and this massage felt so relaxing. She then took his arm, and massaged the one arm, so thoroughly all the way down to his wrist, then massaged his hand. It had become stiff from lack of movement. Once she had done that side, she did the same to the other arm and hand.

"I am going to massage your legs now," she told him, rather cautiously.

"Hermione, you really don't need to give me a running commentary on your progress," he said almost tiredly. The massage, as well as her presence had a calming effect on him.

She smiled, and moved to the bottom of the bed. She took one of his feet, and rubbed it with strong fingers. She did the other one as well. He had never had a foot massage, because he had never really let anyone touch him like that before.

She moved up to his calves, working out the tension in them. Once they were not as stiff as before, she moved onto his thighs. She only rubbed the lower part of his thighs, not venturing too close to his manhood. He didn't particularly want her to go there anyway. He had not been touched like that in more years than he cared to remember. Once he had been fully massaged and stretched, he felt relaxed and calm. He smiled a tiny bit, at some point he had felt so relaxed that he had closed his eyes. When she had finished, he opened them again.

"Thank you Hermione. That was nice. I think it was needed."

She smiled shyly at him, and didn't say anything. She helped him get comfortable on the pillows again, and turned to leave.

"I will be back later, Professor, for lunch. Call if you need anything," she said. She made to leave, but he stopped her.

"Can I ask just one favour of you?" he said quickly.

"Sure, what is it?" she asked, looking around.

"Would you be so kind as to bring some kind of decor to the place? I am starting to get tired of the bland walls and curtains. There is only so much I can take of them, you realise."

She smiled her beautiful smile, and said she would bring something for him. She left the room, and left Severus thinking.

He wondered how on earth a girl such as Hermione Granger could ever evoke any emotion in him, especially that of... well whatever he had just felt with her being there. He hoped that nothing showed on his face. He must not let her see his feelings.

**A/N: Aha! There is something under that cold mask after all! There is hope yet. Hope you enjoyed this one. Please R&R **


	10. Chapter 10 Hermione

Chapter 10

Hermione was excited that Snape had gained the feeling back in his body. She wondered if it could mean that he had the potential to be fixed, as it were. She wondered if he would ever walk again. For some reason the thought of him walking again made her happy. It wasn't the fact that he would no longer need her help that pleased her; it was the fact that it would give him freedom and release him from the prison of his own body.

His request for some decoration had made her think. She tried to put herself in his shoes. She thought about what it must feel like, lying there, day in and day out, not moving very much, only having his own thoughts for company for most of the day; it must be killing him. He probably wanted to do things, be active.

Hermione thought about what she knew of him; not very much at all, she realised. She figured that he was a solitary man, judging by his lack of appearance at most meals. He was definitely capable of feelings, and very strong feelings by the sounds of things. He had, after all, put his life at risk for Dumbledore, for the sake of Lily Potter. He also was a Potions Master, and it seemed to be his other life's obsession. She knew that he knew a vast number of potions by heart. She also knew that he had been the first owner of the potions book Harry had used in their sixth year. That had earned Harry a high regard with Professor Slughorn, because he had produced a perfect potion every time, following Snape's written instruction.

That was it! She knew something she could try to get Snape's mind off things. He loved potions, and it was the one thing she could do for him. She would brew the potions that Madam Pomfrey needed in his room where he could watch. She didn't know if it would help, but she would ask him anyway. She decided that the best thing to do first would be to ask Poppy for permission. She needed to get a potions table from the dungeons, and would definitely need to ask if it was okay.

She decided to try, so she made her way to Poppy's office. The other patients were ok and generally didn't need much attention so Poppy was in her office doing the paperwork for the patients she had healed. Hermione knocked on the door.

"Enter," she heard Poppy say from inside. She opened the door and went in, closing the door behind her. "Hello there, Hermione dear."

"Hi Poppy. Are you still busy with the paperwork?"

Poppy sighed, "Ah yes. Well, there were a large number of those who were injured during the war. I didn't have time between patients to do a write up. So I have to do it now. Thank you, by the way, for completing your paperwork so quickly. It has saved a great deal of extra work for me." She was referring to the paperwork on the patients Hermione had treated, which she had completed within a day. "Is there anything you need?" asked Poppy.

"Actually, there is. I was wondering if it would be ok if I brought the potions table from your lab into Professor Snape's room," she said. "I thought that maybe he might enjoy the brewing. And I could be keeping him company at the same time. I think he is lonely and bored."

"Why, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Hermione you are so caring. Of course you can, but as long as the windows are open for fresh air and there is no possibility of danger." She smiled at Hermione.

"Thanks Poppy. I will go and ask him now if he would like that." She left the room quickly, eager to share her idea with Snape. She went to his door, and knocked gently.

"Enter," she heard from the other side. She went in, and found Snape staring out the window. He seemed to be faraway, seemingly deep in thought. She stood for a moment and watched him, taking in his features, his hooked nose that had obviously been broken before, his dark eyes that seemed to drink in the world, the thin lips. He was still pale as ever.

She cleared her throat and he looked around. "Sorry if I disturbed you."

"No, you didn't disturb me," he said. He looked at her expectantly. She just stood, watching him. "Did you want something? It's not time for lunch already is it?" he asked, glancing out the window, probably to gauge the time from the sun.

"Oh, sorry," she said, coming out of her reverie. "Yes I did actually. I was wondering if perhaps you would like it if I came and did some general brewing of potions here in your room. I thought it might be nice for you to have something to watch other than the volunteers rebuilding the castle." She paused before continuing. "I also thought perhaps you might like some company."

He seemed to give her a long, calculating look. His eyes were chocolate brown, and she realised they only seemed black because he was always in the darkness of the dungeons. She found them mesmerizing.

"I would love for you to do that. I would really appreciate having something to do." He gave her a small smile. She felt that although it was a small gesture, it would go a long way.

She patted his hand, lying limp next to his side, and said, "I will be back in a little while, in time for dinner." She smiled, and turned on her heel and left the room. Closing the door behind her, she stood for a moment, trying to decide how she was going to manage redecorating his room.

Hermione decided that it would be best if she took the small potions table of Poppy's that she used to brew the simple potions that she needed at times. The small lab was just through Poppy's office, so it would require her to disturb the witch again. Just then the witch came out of her office.

"Poppy, may I please move your small potions table to the private room?" Hermione asked quickly. The witch looked around at her.

"Of course, dear. Just don't make a mess." She continued out of the Hospital Wing.

Hermione hurried through the office into the lab behind it. In the tiny room was a wooden table. Small though the table was, it took up almost all of the space in the room. There were shelves lining the wall space, filled with potions books, other healing books and potions ingredients.

Hermione tried using a shrinking spell on the table, but nothing happened. Of course! It is spell-and-fire-proof wood. She then realised she had to lug the heavy table out of there.

After a lot of puffing and grunting, she finally managed to get the table into the office. She thought that it would be better to prepare the room before bringing the table in.

She went back into his room. He was again gazing out of his window, down at the figures below.

"They are making progress from what I can see from up here," he said quietly, without looking away.

"Yeah, they are. It really is coming on nicely. Maybe I'll take you down one day to have a look. You might find it interesting..." She left the sentence hanging. She didn't tell him that there was a statue being built, partly in his honour.

"Maybe." He seemed to her to be lost in thought.

"Uh, I need to shift the furniture around to make space for the table."

"Yes, yes. Sure go ahead, do whatever you feel is necessary," he replied absent-mindedly.

She wondered if she should worry about him, but then put it from her mind.

She had suddenly come up with a plan.

**A/N: I am so sorry it took much longer than usual to finish this chapter but I have been quite busy, but here it is :) Please R 'n R**

**reader_93**


	11. Chapter 11 Severus

Chapter 11

It wasn't really the fact that she was brewing potions in his room that he didn't understand; it was more the fact that she was doing it so he wouldn't be bored. She was also doing it to keep him company. It was the fact that she wanted to remain in his company even though he felt boring and useless.

It was only when she had asked him if he wanted her to do it, did he fully realise she was not one to have ulterior motives or be a liar. No, he found her to have pure motives, and was just being so nice to him for _him_, not for her own gain. This astounded him, that there was someone who could still be so innocent in her ways despite having been fully immersed in the War. Even Lily had changed during the first War.

He lay in the bed and watched as the figures below seemed to be making progress. Professor Sprout had done a decent job with the lawns which were once again green and beautiful. The bushes had also been replaced, and were growing at a rapid pace. The volunteers had almost finished removing the rubble from the destroyed walls and it was looking half-decent already.

He heard his door open, and knew that it was Hermione. Nobody else ever came in.

"They are making progress from what I can see from up here," he said, still thoughtful. He hadn't looked at her yet.

"Yeah, they are. It really is coming on nicely. Maybe I'll take you down one day to have a look. You might find it interesting..." She never finished her sentence, but Severus was distracted and didn't really notice.

"Maybe," he said. He didn't think it would be possible to get him down there without anyone seeing him. At this point in time he didn't really care what happened.

"Uh, I need to shift the furniture around to make space for the table," she said, tentatively.

"Yes, yes. Sure go ahead, do whatever you feel is necessary," he replied. He felt tired, having not had a peaceful night in a few days.

As Hermione moved the furniture around, Severus looked away from the window to watch her. She moved the chairs to the side of the room, and opened up a relatively large space in the middle of his room. She disappeared out the room, leaving the door open, and he heard puffs and grunts coming from outside the door, together with the loud scraping of heavy furniture being moved. She reappeared in the doorway, pulling a table slowly with her. She squeezed it through the door and into the centre of the cleared space.

"Bloody table. Why do they have to make it spell-proof?" she was grumbling under her breath.

She straightened up and turned to smile at him. Her cheeks were rosy from the effort, and she was slightly out of breath.

"I'll be back in a minute. I'm just going to get ingredients." She sprinted out the door, but a second later popped her head back in the room.

"By the way, what is the password to your ingredients store?"she asked.

He knew that there would be no point in telling her she couldn't go in there without him to assist. He knew she would not make a mess of it. Anyway, it wasn't as if he needed it anymore.

"Dragon blood. But Hermione, be careful in there. Don't move things around. I might not be able to use it any longer, but they are organised according to my own system, which works."

She nodded and left. He felt a slight pang of jealousy toward her for being able to go into his store room, the place he had spent hours devising a system of organisation. He loved that store. It was always fully stocked of anything he ever needed.

'There is no need to be jealous. She is going to be brewing potions here, so you can engage your mind once more. She is doing the best she can,' the voice in his head told him. For once he actually agreed.

About half an hour later, she returned. He was lying back on his pillow with his eyes closed. He heard her open the door, and heard her footsteps into the room. He heard as she stopped, and stood still. Then she moved towards the table, slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. He opened his eyes a fraction, enough to see her without her noticing he was awake.

She carefully laid the jars she carried on the table top. She moved them so they were in a neat line. Then she looked up at him, and quietly moved closer to him. She stood near to his bedside, and he saw her looking into his face. Her face softened as she looked at his apparently sleeping form. Then she gently took his hand in her own. He could see her looking down at their hands, and a single tear fell from her face onto his hand. She quickly wiped her eyes and left the room.

He felt as if it was safe to open his eyes once more, and stared down at the hand she had just held. He could see her tear drop glistening there. Why was she crying? Did she pity him? Or was it that she wanted to do more for him? He was confused. She confused him.

He watched the figures below, until it became dark, and they went inside. He heard a knock on his door.

"Enter," he said and Hermione came in. "Hermione, there is actually no need to knock. It's not as if I would be doing something."

She smiled at him, "perhaps you could be sleeping."

"Perhaps, but you are always welcome here," he noticed the tray she carried, "especially if you come bearing food." She laughed.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"Starving," he replied. He actually was very hungry. He hadn't been in days, probably because he was inactive. This evening there was steak and salad.

"I like steak," he said. This had put him in a better mood than he had been the whole day.

"I know," she said, a sly smile on her face.

"You do? How?" He was amazed at her, but then remembered that she had always been resourceful.

"I asked a house-elf in the kitchen. She said you had always been partial to it."

He was surprised. He didn't realise he asked for it very often. He felt a surge of warmth towards her. She actually took the time to ask for something to make him happy.

"Thank you," he said. She sat on the edge of his bed, and cut up his steak into bite size pieces. It smelled divine. She put a piece in his mouth. It was heavenly. It was juicy and tender and just right. He had to commend the elves for their cooking yet again.

"Do you want to know how they are progressing with the renovations?" she asked, while he ate. He nodded.

"Well, as I am sure you have seen, they have cleared the rubble from most of the areas. There are a few teams working on various parts of the castle, and Harry says that they each have their own ideas, and he is finding it difficult to manage all of their complaints and ideas. He is overlooking the whole thing with the help of some architects, you know, but he says the progress is coming on nicely..."

His mind began to wonder as she talked. He watched as she chatted animatedly about the work. He began to notice things about her. Her lips were full, and pink, and every now and then the tip of her tongue darted out to moisten them. Her teeth were no longer overly large, and he figured she must have grown into them. He noticed her eyes, a light brown colour, with speckles of a darker brown in them. He had noticed that she was beautiful, but now he realised the full extent of her subtle beauty.

"What do you think?" she asked. He was brought out of his thoughts by her question.

"Pardon me?" he asked.

"I asked if you thought it would be nice to go down and see the renovations. If you do want to, I can figure out a way of getting you down there unnoticed." She was smiling at him, and he saw her eyes gleaming.

"If you can find a way, I think I would like that. I would like to see the rest of the castle too." He missed the corridors that he had come to know so well during his night haunts over the years.

"Well, I'll see if I can organise something then. But for the moment, we need to do your exercises."

She stood up, and prepared him for the exercises.

That night, he was plagued yet again by nightmares. This time it wasn't the snake. He was standing in the nursery of the Potter's house. Harry was standing up in his cot, clinging on the bars, and crying. There were two other figures in the room. Lily stood in front of the cot as he tried to fight his way through Voldemort, who had just entered. He heard the high laughter of Voldemort and the screams of Lily as he fell. He could see Lily from where he lay on the floor. He tried to get up again and fight, protect her, but he couldn't move. He saw a flash of green light, heard the howling, and it all went dark.

He woke up in a cold sweat. There were tears streaming down his eyes. He realised he had just had a dream where it was him fighting off Voldemort instead of James Potter. He had not been able to do anything and could only watch as the one he loved was taken from him yet again. He sobbed, silently so he couldn't be heard, but sobbed none the less.

**A/N: Please Read and Review. I really appreciate all of the reviews. **


	12. Chapter 12 Hermione

Chapter 12

Hermione lay in bed, reading. There was a stack of books next to her bed, and every now and then she changed over to a new one. These books were all about potions. There were many from her school years, as well as more advanced ones. She was looking for a specific potion to brew the next day. She knew she had seen it before somewhere, but couldn't remember where.

She picked up a book containing medical-related potions. She opened the tome and looked for the index page. The book was old, and it didn't seem to have one. She sighed. It meant she would have to page through the book to find it.

As she slowly flipped the pages, she looked at some of the potions and what they were used for. 'Hiccough away potion: for use to stop pesky hiccoughs. Caution: patient will get a case of permanent hiccoughs if not brewed or dosed correctly,' said one. 'Twitch removal potion: For use to stop a case of the twitches. Note: Use on twitches only. For more severe cases, refer to page 87, Anti-Epileptic Potion.'

She kept paging through the book, hoping to find what she was seeking. Eventually, she turned a page, glanced over it, and stopped.

"Aha!" she exclaimed. She had found the potion. She quickly read over the ingredients and instructions, and then grabbed a piece of parchment next to her bed. She copied down what was written on the page, and then double checked it to make sure she had got it perfectly. Smiling to herself, she put the book back on the pile, and turned off the light. She had a plan, and she was excited to execute it the next day.

The next morning, she woke early. The birds were twittering, but the sun wasn't up yet. She figured it must be from the excitement that she woke up so early. She dressed quickly, and quietly left her room. She didn't want to wake anyone this early in the morning. She silently strode through the Hospital Wing, into the corridor. Once she had closed the door, she hurried through the corridors, down stairs, into the Entrance Hall. She veered off to a side door to the dungeons.

She walked along the silent corridor, past a few doors, and stopped outside one of them. This was the door to Snape's classroom. She stole into the class. Although there was nobody there, she felt she didn't want to break the silence. Inside, the room was eerie and dark, so she lit her wand. She crept across the spotless classroom, much as she had done the day before, and went to the door behind the teacher's desk.

"Dragon Blood," she said. She heard a click, and the door unlocked. She pushed the door open and went inside. The Store room was not overly large, but there was definitely enough ingredients lining the shelves. She pulled the parchment out from her pocket, and read through it. She had grabbed a few vital ingredients yesterday, but knew she needed others that she hadn't taken.

Referring to the parchment, she pulled down a few jars containing powders or liquids. Once she was satisfied she had collected all that she needed, she closed the door behind her. She heard a soft click as it sealed itself again. She stood for a moment in the classroom, and looked around. She hadn't been there in over a year, and the class had been taken over in her sixth year by Professor Slughorn, and yet the room remained the same as she had always known it. There were still jars lining the walls containing dead creatures in a liquid. The room was also as cold as it had always been. She shivered slightly, and left.

Hurrying back up to the Hospital Wing, she passed many portraits, some of whom were only now stirring. At the entrance to the Moving Staircase she ran through something floating in mid-air and it felt as though she had just been doused in ice-water. She gasped, rather audibly.

"Oh, hello dear." It was Nearly-Headless Nick.

"Sir Nicholas! You gave me a fright. How are you?" she asked. She liked the resident Gryffindor ghost. He had an odd sense of humour.

"You know, getting on. This place is a bit dead in the holidays, but then, who am I to complain?" He chuckled at his own joke. "What are you doing here, Miss Granger? Are you helping with the renovations?" he asked. Then he spied the jars she was carrying. "What is that you have there, Miss Granger?"

"I am actually helping Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital wing with the few patients that are left from the war. And these," she said, looking at the jars in her arms, "are potion ingredients for a potion I am going to make," she said. Before he could say anything further she cut him off. "Nick, I really have to get going. I want to start on the potion soon."

Nick took his ear and doffed his head in farewell. She hurried off, feeling slightly nauseas by that action. No matter how many times she had seen him do that, it was still disgusting.

Once in the Hospital Wing, she saw that the sun had risen fully and the other patients were beginning to stir. Backing into Snape's room, she walked slowly so as not to disturb him in case he was still sleeping. She turned around, and saw it was unnecessary to keep silent. He was watching her, a smile in his eyes. His mask was breaking, slightly.

"Morning," she said, trying to be friendly.

"Good morning, Hermione." He said nothing about the jars she carried. She put them on the table next to the others. She looked up at him, and it was only then did she see the dark rings around his eyes. The bruises were accentuated by his pale skin.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Of course I did. Like a baby," he replied. She knew he was lying, but said nothing.

"I am going to brew a potion today, and I would like to start as soon as possible, if that is alright with you."

"Of course, I am looking forward to it. What potion do you have planned, if I may ask?" She didn't want to tell him just yet. She wanted to keep it a surprise.

"I will tell you once I am done, unless you have guessed it by then." She smiled slyly, and he nodded.

She set up her workstation, shifting things so that the cauldron she had brought from the other lab was visible to Snape. She took out the parchment, and laid it down next to her.

She lit the fire underneath the cauldron and began working.

As she worked, she focused all her concentration on the potion. She became so absorbed in her work that she almost forgot Snape was in the room too. She started reading the instructions aloud to herself, without realising it.

She was about to add one of the final ingredients, when Snape spoke for the first time.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. That combination of ingredients won't react well together."

She jumped, and nearly dropped the ingredient into the cauldron. She could feel her face as she blushed deeply. She had spoken aloud, and he had heard! She checked the parchment, and saw that he was indeed correct. She had been about to add the wrong thing.

"Thanks," she stammered. She corrected her near error, and continued. After half an hour, the potion was completed. The liquid inside the cauldron was a nice purple colour. She knew she had done it correctly.

"I am done," she said at last. She looked up at him. "Do you know what it is yet?" she asked.

"If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that you have just made..." he thought for a moment, "dreamless sleep." He looked at her questioningly.

"You are well informed. It is indeed a Dreamless Sleep potion."She beamed at him.

"If I am not mistaken, you have just made a perfect potion. Were I still your potions professor, I would give you points." He gave her a small smile in return. "On that note, I think it only fair that you may call me by my given name, seeing as we are more or less stuck together, and the formalities are no longer necessary. I am fine with Severus."

She just stared at him. This was very out of character for him. He never seemed to her to be the type to let anyone get on first name basis with him. She quickly got over her shock however.

"I brewed this for you," she said, simply. It was his turn to stare. He looked into her eyes searchingly, as though to see if she was joking.

"I figured by the rings around your eyes you are not getting much sleep, so I thought this might help."

It seemed as though he couldn't say anything, so she filled up a few beakers of the potion and closed them. She put them on his bedside table, smiled, and left, closing the door behind her.

Outside, she smiled to herself. She felt so happy. She had had a plan, and it had worked. She knew that she had hit the nail on the head when she made the potion. At least if she couldn't do much else for him, she could at least help him sleep peacefully.

**A/N: I realise that the timeline is rather short so far, but I feel a lot can happen in a day (or a few days). And remember that this a world of magic, where anything can happen ;) Please R 'n R**


	13. Chapter 13 Severus

Chapter 13

Severus watched as she worked. He was curious to see what exactly she had planned. She hadn't told him what it was she was going to make, wanting to keep it a surprise. He decided that he would try and figure out what it is that she was making by the ingredient combinations she used.

As he watched, he was distracted by her. He again noticed subtle things about her, about the way she worked. He watched as she chopped and cut with such skill, handling the blade with ease. He noticed that she prepared her ingredients much the same way he used to. He figured she must have picked up a few tricks from his own potions book when Potter had it in their sixth year.

He saw a single strand of her hair fall in her face, and she absent-mindedly brushed it away, only for it to fall back. He wished that he could go over there and tuck it behind her ear.

'Don't be a fool. She will never be interested in someone like you. You are too old, and too useless for her liking,' he scolded himself.

'Don't be so sure about that,' said the other voice. He sincerely doubted that that voice spoke any truth.

He heard her talking to herself softly. She was mumbling instructions, and he realised she had forgotten his presence.

Hermione was about to add an ingredient, and he knew that if he had been watching correctly, then adding it would make an explosion.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. That combination of ingredients won't react well together."

She jumped and turned a deep shade of red that Ron Weasley would have been proud of. It confirmed what he had thought about her forgetting his presence. She checked the parchment again and mumbled her thanks. She rectified her mistake, and continued.

He enjoyed watching her work. She had a kind of grace and elegance about her he admired.

After another half an hour, she gave one final stir, and looked up at him.

"I am done," she said. He craned his neck to get a good look in the cauldron. It was purple in colour. "Do you know what it is yet?" she asked.

"If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that you have just made..." he thought for a moment. What was it? Not a cure for a love potion, so it had to be, "dreamless sleep," he said. She grinned from ear to ear at him. She seemed to exude pride at herself.

"You are well informed. It is indeed a Dreamless Sleep potion."

'You haven't lost your touch with potions then,' he told himself.

"If I am not mistaken, you have just made a perfect potion. Were I still your potions professor, I would give you points." He smiled at her, enjoying her happy state. Then he had another thought. "On that note, I think it only fair that you may call me by my given name, seeing as we are more or less stuck together, and the formalities are no longer necessary. I am fine with Severus."

He thought it only fair, and seeing as she was one of the only three people who knew of his existence, and the other two already calling him Severus, he felt she should too. Anyway, he was no longer a teacher at Hogwarts, and knew he never would be.

She just stared at him. He didn't know why she was staring; he had spoken the truth and she knew it.

"I brewed this for you," she said. What? She had brewed the Dreamless Sleep for him? He tried to find some hint of a joke or lie in her eyes. There was none. "I figured by the rings around your eyes you are not getting much sleep, so I thought this might help."

He wanted to say something, wanted to tell her how grateful he was, but somehow he couldn't say a thing. He could only stare. She filled up beakers with the potion, smiled at him and left.

He just gaped after her. She had gone out of her way to do something for him. She had taken the time to make something that would help him. He wondered why she would do that for him, something so selfless. He had never before experienced kindness like that. He had learnt, from his experiences with his parents and the people around him, that nobody ever did anything for you because they _wanted_ to. No, they always had an ulterior motive. But he knew, somehow, that she was different. She knew she could not get anything from him, and yet she was still kind to him.

He felt he wanted to do something in return for her, but had absolutely no clue what he could do. Saying thank you, he felt, was inadequate.

After a while, she came back. It was mid-afternoon, and he was hungry again.

"Hi, er, Severus." His name coming from her lips sent shivers through him, or would have if he could move.

"Hello, Hermione." She carried a tray. He could see a plate on it. His stomach rumbled audibly. Hermione heard it and smiled.

"Sorry I took so long to bring the food, but I have been busy helping the two remaining patients." She came over and sat on the edge of his bed. He could smell the chicken that was on the plate, and it smelled wonderful. "I think one of them will have to go to the mental ward at St Mungo's. It seems he was hit with some kind of spell and he doesn't know who he is. I think it was 'Obliviate' spell, because he reminds me a lot of..."

"Gilderoy Lockhart," said Severus, finishing her sentence. "If I remember correctly he tried to wipe Potter and Weasley's minds in your second year, and it backfired?" She nodded. "Well I liked the new Lockhart. Wasn't a pompous prat after his memory was wiped."

She giggled. "I saw him a few years ago at St Mungo's. He really didn't know who he was, and yet kept trying to give us his signed photo. He wasn't much different than before." She laughed.

Severus smiled. "Well I suppose old habits really do die hard." His stomach growled again.

"You must be hungry. Sorry about that. I have lunch for you. It's chicken breast in mushroom sauce."

"Sounds delicious, let's have it then." She set about cutting his food up.

"Hermione, I never said thank you earlier," he said. He felt he needed to thank her for what she had done.

"Oh, that's alright. I just thought it would be best for you to sleep well once in a while." She just smiled and seemed to try and brush it off.

He chose to let it be, for the moment. He thought for a while about his predicament. The question of his survival drifted into his mind once more.

Once his lunch had finished, and she was clearing up, he asked the question that had bugged him since he had first woken up in the hospital.

"Hermione, please will you tell me the truth. I need to know what happened to me. I need to know who saved me. Please."

**A/N: For some reason this chapter caused a bit of writer's block. But I got over it, and here is the next chapter. Please R 'n R, I would really love to hear your thoughts.**

**Thank you to all those who reviewed and put the story on alert. It is definitely a good motivation **


	14. Chapter 14 Hermione

Chapter 14

He was asking the question again. A question she didn't want to answer. She didn't know why she didn't want to answer it, but she just felt it wasn't right to tell him what happened. She looked into his pleading eyes, and saw that he needed to hear it, that he was strong enough to hear it.

"Okay," she said, simply. He smiled at her. She considered the man in front of her for a moment. Should she tell him? Yes, she should. She sighed.

"How far back do you remember?" she asked. She needed to know where to begin.

"Well, the last thing I remember is being in the Shrieking Shack with the Dark Lord. He was telling me the wand wasn't working for him. Then he attacked me and the snake did too. That's the last thing I know before I woke up in St Mungo's," he said.

"Okay. Well, I guess I will have to start at the beginning then," she said. "Harry, Ron and I had come to the Shack, and hid behind a crate. We saw what happened, the whole thing. After you were attacked, Voldemort left. We all came out to see how you were. You gave Harry some memories; I'm not exactly sure what memories though. Harry and Ron left," she paused. "I stayed behind. I didn't want to go back to the castle at that moment. Then you moved and I realised you were alive. I did the best I could to heal the surface wounds." She paused again, and sighed. "I had to go at that point, and see what I could do to help. Then Voldemort told everyone that Harry was dead and we lost all hope. We all thought the war was over and we had lost."

"But Harry wasn't dead, and we didn't lose, did we?" he asked.

"No, Harry didn't die, and we did win. But Hagrid was carrying Harry and he looked dead. Then suddenly all hell broke loose, and in the commotion Harry vanished. The battle moved to the Great Hall, and Mrs Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange. Voldemort tried to kill her, but suddenly Harry appeared. They fought, and Voldemort was killed by his own spell backfiring. It was because Harry was the true master of it all along.

"Then I came down to the Shack to find you again. I didn't know if you had lived long enough, but I checked anyway. I found you were alive, and brought you back to the castle under the Disillusionment Charm, and then Madam Pomfrey called a Mediwitch to take you to St Mungo's. Then a week later I find you here."

At this point she was gazing out of the darkening window. The sun was setting, but she was lost in thought, remembering that fateful night. What if she hadn't saved him? Would it have made any difference? She told herself not to think like that, that every life is worth saving.

He cleared his throat. She looked at him slowly. He was smiling at her. She found he didn't really smile with his lips, more with his eyes. He had expressive eyes.

"Hermione," he said. "How can I ever thank you for saving me?"

"Thank me?" she asked, confused. She had thought he would be angry or annoyed for saving him and leaving him in this condition. She certainly felt guilty, felt like it was her fault he was like this.

"Of course. You saved me. You have given me a second chance at life. I would have died an unhappy man, and would never have been able to live a life as a free man." She could see that he was genuinely happy.

"How can you be free? You are trapped in here, with only me to keep you company. I would think this more of prison than anything else."

"Hermione, this is no prison. Granted, I do feel trapped in this useless body. But I am no longer living a lie. I am no longer a double or triple spy. I am free from being told what to do, who to torture, who to report to. I can choose who I want to be. It is thanks to you I have a chance to redeem myself."

She saw the shift in him. He had become a happy man. She was utterly confused. Granted, he spoke the truth of being a free man, in a sense. But what mystified her was that he said he wanted to become a happy man. Severus Snape, happy? This was something she was probably not going to get used to. All her life she had known him to be a sour grumpy man.

"Hermione let me tell you something. I am only thirty eight years old. My whole life I have been under the control of someone or other. The first few years were my parents. I had a mother who was weak and a father who hated everything magical, therefore my mother and me. At school, I was controlled by the headmasters and teachers. After school I joined up with the Death Eaters, and was controlled by Voldemort." He paused. "I assume you know about Lily?" She nodded.

"Well when I found out Voldemort was going after her, I asked Dumbledore for help. He said as long as I did what he told me to he would protect her. She died, but Dumbledore said that if I was honour bound to Lily to protect her son, which I did. Now that Voldemort is dead, Harry is safe, and I am alive, I am free."

Tears filled her eyes. She understood finally. He was free. She realised that he had only been unhappy because he was never free. He was never himself. He had always been manipulated and controlled by others. She thought that is she had to experience that, she would also be unhappy.

Then, she did something totally unexpected. She hugged him. It was a rather awkward hug, but she was so overcome by emotion, she did it automatically. She was happy for him. She released him, smiled a rather watery smile, and ran out the room to her own.

She sat on her bed, thinking. She wondered why he told her all of that. It was definitely not like him to reveal such personal details about himself. He had always been a very private man. But then she thought about his predicament, and realised that yes, he was free. She realised that being trapped in one's own body would change you. She decided that she would try and be a friend to him. Hell, he needed one after what he had been through. He must have been so alone throughout all of it.

She decided that she needed to do something other than sit around. She left the Hospital Wing, and went down to the great Hall, where she knew Harry and the others would be.

She walked into the Great Hall. It had been the first thing to be restored to its former glory. Harry had said that he had always been in awe of the beauty of the room. She looked up to the ceiling. The enchantment had been restored and now she could see a black sky filled with twinkling stars.

"Hermione!" she heard someone say. It was Ron. He jumped out of his chair and hurried over to her, enveloping her in a hug. "Really great to see you." He was positively beaming at her. "Where you been? Whatcha been up to?" He led her, arm around her shoulder, to one of the round tables in the hall. The house tables had been replaced by the round tables she had seen on a few occasions. Harry was sitting there, deep in conversation with another wizard. They had parchments scattered all over the table and seemed to have building plans all over them. He looked up and saw Hermione. He jumped up and came round to hug her.

"Hermione, it's good to see you down here. Sorry, Mr Stone. I think we will have to finish this tomorrow," he said, addressing the other wizard. Mr Stone stood up, doffed his hat and walked away to join another table. "How are you Hermione?" asked Harry.

"I am great thanks, and how are you two? How are the renovations coming on?" she asked. She was in a very good mood. She had missed her best friends.

"The renovations are going really well," said Harry. "As you know everybody has been split into teams, each to do a different section of the castle."

"My team is doing the Quidditch Pitch," said Ron, looking rather proud of himself. "We are just about done with the actual pitch. The grass is growing fast, and the hoops are back. We start on the stands tomorrow."

"Ah Ron, that is great. I would love to come down and see it sometime," said Hermione.

"Yeah, and we have had discussions on the statue we are going to build. It has been decided that we include everyone who has died in the fight against Voldemort. It is a very long list, because it goes back to the first Wizarding War. But I felt it best, out of respect for everyone, not to include just those who died here. It has taken a while but I have collected all the names."

"I agree, Harry. Everyone who ever fought should get a mention," she said.

"I am going to put Snape's name at the top of the list, along with Dumbledore, as getting special mention for all their efforts. They were two great wizards who gave their life to protect others."

Hermione blushed. She knew that it would be a lie if Harry put Severus' name there, but she knew that she couldn't reveal the truth, even if she felt she owed it to Harry. Severus deserved a place among the honoured.

"That is a good idea. Where are you going to put it," she asked, wanting to take the topic in a new direction.

"I was thinking of putting it on the lawn at the entrance to the castle, where it can be seen by everyone. They will begin building it tomorrow."

"How are you doing with this whole business, Harry?" she asked.

"I am enjoying it actually. It makes me feel useful. And here, among us, nobody treats me as some kind of hero anymore. Nobody really has time for it I suppose. But it is great, for a change. I don't really want to leave this sanctuary, because out there I am heralded as some kind of saint. I know I killed Voldemort and all, but I didn't do it for attention. So yeah, I am really enjoying it."

"I understand Harry. I am so glad you are happy." She beamed at him.

Hermione was proud of Harry. He had undertaken a lot of work, and yet he was taking it in his stride. He was doing so well, and as she looked around the hall, she noticed how everyone seemed to respect Harry as their leader, and not as someone to be hero worshipped.

"How are things with Ginny?" she asked. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Ginny is all over Harry. It's actually quite disgusting." Ron pulled a face, and Hermione laughed and punched him.

"Ron, leave her be. We all thought Harry was killed, so I am sure Ginny is cherishing every moment she has with Harry."

"She was a bit much during the first few days, but she has calmed down a lot, now that she knows I am not going anywhere." He smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "She is really something special, that girl."

"Oi! She's my sister, remember. You are going to make me sick with all your mushy talk about her," said Ron, rather huffily.

Hermione laughed and punched him again.

"Ron, give Harry a break. Remember when you and Lavender Brown were dating? You two were _all over_ each other all the time. We didn't really complain then, did we?" said Hermione, teasingly.

"Yeah, well. She's not your sister, is she? It's different. I gotta look after her, you know."

"Ron, you're my best mate," said Harry, laughing. "Don't worry mate. I would never do anything to hurt her, I promise."

"There you go, Ron. Let the two of them be happy," said Hermione.

"Oh, alright, alright. But don't snog her in front of me, okay?"

"Alright, mate," said Harry, grinning.

Hermione enjoyed the playful banter. The general atmosphere felt like it used to, before Voldemort's return. It was easy like this. There were no arguments like when they were searching for Horcruxes. She sat back, and listened to her two best friends chatting away happily about Quidditch and other things, quite enjoying the moment. She wished it could always be like this.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**What are your opinions on the statue? And the change in Severus?**

**Please R 'n R **


	15. Chapter 15 Severus

Chapter 15

Severus was happy. He hadn't been this happy in... Well, forever. He thought that the last time he had felt this way, he and Lily had been children. Hermione had been the one to save him. She made him feel wanted, really wanted. This time he was sure he had never felt this way. His father had never wanted him; his magic ability ensured that. His mother had never really cared for him, often leaving him to his own devices. Lily had never really wanted him. She had made other friends soon after their arrival, and after their fifth year, well she definitely didn't want him then. Nobody else ever wanted him.

He lay in the darkness, looking out at the stars. It was quiet outside, only the crickets chirping could be heard. As he watched, an owl swooped through the sky, casting a silhouette on the moon. He felt peaceful. Hermione had given him a reason to live. He decided he wanted to live for her. She had saved him, and he was not going to give up on life now.

He had deduced long ago that his family had been the cause of his bad temper and horrible demeanour. It was his abusive parents that ensured he was the way he was. He had freed himself of them long ago, but yet his temper remained the same. He had never really found anything to be happy about. Now things were different.

It hadn't been long after Hermione left that Poppy Pomfrey came in.

"Good evening, Severus," she said, lighting the lamps in his room. "How are you doing? Hermione hasn't really reported back to me."

"Poppy," he said, rather surprised. He had been expecting, no, hoping for Hermione. "Where is she? She is not giving up on me now, is she?" He hoped that what he had said hadn't driven her away.

"No dear, of course not. She just went down to the Great Hall to visit her friends. She hasn't been down in a while, and I thought it a good idea she enjoy herself for once. I don't expect her back anytime soon." He felt a small surge of joy at her not abandoning him, but then felt deflated that she wouldn't be around. "I have dinner for you. It's chicken soup. It's always good for you."

She helped him eat, but it did not taste nearly as nice as it usually did. Poppy was all business, and for Severus it just wasn't the same as Hermione being there. he finished his meal quickly, and bade her a goodnight. He did not want to be in Poppy's presence for very long. He found her slightly overbearing. He started to miss Hermione's way of just knowing what it was that he wanted and needed.

'She's only been gone a few hours, you fool. She will be back tomorrow. Do not start pining now. Honestly,' he scolded himself. He put his head back on the pillow, but did not sleep. He had hoped that Hermione would give him some of the potion that she had brewed that morning. He didn't feel like enduring another night of nightmares, so he just watched the stars. If he leaned his head over slightly, he could see the Quidditch pitch in the distance. He could see the hoops were up already.

At what must have been midnight, he was dozing slightly, when he heard the soft creak of his door opening. A small pool of dim light came in through the crack of the open door. He watched as a head poked into the room.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Oh, you're awake." She opened the door further and came in, closing it behind her. "Lumos," she whispered, and the tip of her wind lit up with a dim light.

"Decide to come back, I see," said Severus, rather huffily.

"I never left, Severus. I just went down to see the others." She came over and sat on the edge of his bed, the light from her wand casting deep shadows on her face.

"Sorry," he said, softening. "I just thought you'd... Never mind."

"I would never leave you, Severus," she said, almost reading his mind. She took his limp hand in her own and squeezed it. "I just came here to check up on you, see if you were ok. Did you take any of the Dreamless Sleep I made this morning?"

"No, I didn't really want Poppy trying to pour it down my throat."

She sighed. "You need to take it, that's why I made it. You don't get any rest otherwise."

He looked away from her, out the window. "I'd rather you gave it to me. It wouldn't feel right otherwise."

He never saw the blush, nor the smile that crept onto her face. She squeezed his hand again.

"Here, do you want some? I'll give it to you now," she said, caringly.

"Please. I would really appreciate it," he said. She moved over to the bedside table where she had put the potion. She opened a beaker and poured a small measure into it. Closing the beaker again, she brought the glass up to his lips. The purple potion tasted mildly sweet, and smelled minty. He swigged the potion, and knew it wouldn't be long until he fell asleep.

She made to leave the room, when he said, "Wait, don't go." She stopped, and turned back, and sat down on the edge of the bed again. She took his hand once more, and he felt as if he could be happy for the rest of his life if things remained like this.

"Don't leave me Hermione," he said, feeling thick with tiredness. Falling asleep like this was so easy. He felt so relaxed, he closed his eyes. Just before sleep came over him, he felt something soft and warm on his forehead. He smiled faintly. Then he slipped into darkness, and had the best sleep he had had in years.

**A/N: I figure that if you are trapped in your own body, you do change. You are no longer able to move about and do things and be who you want to be. You are stuck relying on others, and if you are not used to doing that, the change can be very tough. I am sure there are many quadriplegics who have lost the will to live. Snape has found a reason to live. **

**I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Please R 'n R **


	16. Chapter 16 Hermione

Chapter 16

She had spent the entire evening with Harry and Ron, and Ginny, Luna and Neville had joined them too. She had had a great evening playing exploding snap and watching Ron try and play two games at the same time against Harry and Neville. It had been highly entertaining to see him lose both matches, and blame it on the chess pieces, which had consequently all thrown a tantrum and marched off the table.

She was in very high spirits when she had returned to the Hospital Wing at midnight. She wondered about Severus, and decided to just pop her head in his room to see if he was okay.

"Hermione?" she heard him say. She thought he had been asleep, but evidently he was not.

"Oh, you're awake," she said, coming into the room. It was very dark, and she couldn't see where she was going, and didn't want to walk into the table. "_Lumos_," she whispered, and the tip of her wand lit up.

"Decide to come back, I see," said Severus, sounding slightly hurt. She realised he had thought she had left him, especially after what they had discussed earlier.

"I never left, Severus. I just went down to see the others." She spoke gently, wanting him to know she would never leave him. She moved over to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Sorry, I just thought you'd... Never mind." She knew that he was going to say something like 'abandoned me.'

"I would never leave you, Severus," she said, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. She wanted him to know it was okay. "I just came here to check up on you, see if you were ok. Did you take any of the Dreamless Sleep I made this morning?"

"No, I didn't really want Poppy trying to pour it down my throat," he said, sounding bitter. He was being difficult.

"You need to take it, that's why I made it. You don't get any rest otherwise," she said, insistently.

"I'd rather you gave it to me. It wouldn't feel right otherwise," he said, not looking at her.

She felt herself blush and couldn't help but smile. It seemed he had developed a soft spot for her, and she liked it.

"Here, do you want some? I'll give it to you now," she said. He probably needed sleep badly.

"Please. I would really appreciate it," he said. She poured some of the purple potion into a glass, and gave it to him. He drank it in one go, and she put the glass down. It wouldn't be long until he slept. She turned to leave, but heard his voice.

"Wait, don't go." She stopped in her tracks, and returned to his side. She took his hand in hers again. His hand felt frail and thin and weak.

"Don't leave me Hermione," she heard him whisper, thickly. Her heart skipped a beat as she realised that he felt safe with her. She realised he must have more than a soft spot for her. She saw him close his eyes, and leaned over to kiss him, ever so gently, on his forehead.

"I will never leave you, Severus," she whispered back. She knew he would sleep peacefully until at least nine o' clock. She had given him enough of the potion for him to sleep until then.

She let go of his hand, and quietly made her way to her room.

Hermione sat on her bed. She didn't quite know what she was feeling.

'He is not interested in you. He is Severus Snape, the nasty potions professor. He doesn't know how to feel,' said her very logical side.

'He is a man, for crying out loud. Of course he knows how to feel. And why wouldn't he be interested in me? I saved his life after all,' replied her emotional side.

'That may well be, but he is twenty years older than you. Do you honestly think he would be interested? And the other question is: are you interested in him?'

'I don't know. I just want him to be happy and feel wanted. It is nothing more than what I would want anyone else to feel.'

'Then why, pray tell, do you do more for him than any of the other patients? You go out of your way to help him, and do things for him.'

'He has never known love. He has never felt wanted. He has had a tough childhood from what I can gather, and he parents never seemed to want him. He has never had any true friends, except perhaps Lily, but they didn't last longer than his fifth year. So yes, I am going out of my way to make him feel better.'

'Just be careful, he is a master manipulator and a liar. You don't want to have your heart broken.'

She sighed. The internal battle within her waged on. She thought she liked him, and when she thought about a life with him, she felt she really could be happy. He was a highly intelligent man, after all, and they could talk about many things that she could never talk to Harry or Ron about without getting a highly confused look.

And besides, the attack had changed him. Or perhaps she had? She didn't know. All she did know, however, was that she just wanted to make him happy. She climbed into bed, and turned out the light.

The next morning, she woke later than usual. It was probably because she knew that Severus would be sleeping until at least nine. She checked her calendar, and saw that it was a Friday. She thought that perhaps she would go down to Hogsmeade for a while. She hadn't been there in ages, and missed the place dearly. It was about eight-thirty in the morning, and so decided to check up on Severus first before she went.

She went into her little bathroom and had a quick shower. After her shower, she slipped into her favourite long skirt and t-shirt. It was really starting to warm up now that summer was on its way. She ran a brush through her long hair, and then used a spell to dry it quickly. Her hair these days was not as bushy as it used to be, and she much preferred it that way. She tied it up into a loose bun, and checked herself in the mirror. She grabbed a book of her shelf, and left her room.

She opened the door to Severus' room quietly, not wanting to disturb him. As she thought, his eyes were closed and he seemed to be in a peaceful slumber. She pulled one of the arm chairs next to his bed, and curled up on it with the book. She opened it, but instead of reading, she watched Severus instead.

His eyes were closed, and his face had relaxed. He didn't have the hard lines that he had when awake. He looked so much younger in sleep than he did awake. Normally, he looked much older, with deep frown lines, and a permanent scowl. Now he looked more his age. There was a very faint smile on his lips, as though there was something he was very happy about. His nose looked as though it had been broken a few times. She wondered if it had occurred as a child from his violent father, or at school, having been bullied, or even during his time as a Death Eater.

After a while, she looked down at her book. She had only just begun reading, when she heard him sigh softly. She looked up, and saw his eyelids fluttering. They opened, and he looked at her.

"I thought that I can't have any dreams after taking the potion. It must not have worked that well then, because I must be dreaming," he said, hoarsely. He smiled weakly. She blushed a deep crimson. Had he just flirted? He must be losing his mind, she thought.

"Good morning, Severus." She reached over and took his hand again. "Did you sleep well?" she asked.

His eyes twinkled, and he replied, "Better than I have in years actually. And it's all thanks to you."

She smiled at him. She was glad that he had been able to sleep well. She wondered why he hadn't made himself the potion long ago if he hadn't been able to sleep. She remembered Harry telling her he would always bump into Severus on his night time wonderings.

"I am so glad. Severus," she said, "I am going down to Hogsmeade for a little while. Is there anything you want from there? Maybe Butterbeer, or Firewhiskey, or something from Honeydukes?"

"Ah, I would love to go with you. However, seeing as I am currently unable, I would really appreciate a good bottle of Firewhiskey, and I think perhaps something nice from Honeydukes. You choose." He seemed a little disappointed that he couldn't go too, but she thought that he was taking it in his stride.

"Severus, I will find a way to bring you down there too. Not now, because I want to leave soon to be back early. But we will work on something, how's that sound to you?" she said, wanting to make him feel better about it.

"That sounds like an idea. Now, run along, go and have a good morning at Hogsmeade. Don't worry about me, I will be fine," he said with a smile. It seemed to have been put on, his cheeriness, but she decided to take it face value. She hurried out of the Hospital Wing, and down to Hogsmeade.

Walking into the small village in summer seemed so different to the usual winter visits. The village was not covered in snow, and the cobblestone road was visible. She wondered down the street, looking into all the little shops that lined it. She passed Honeydukes Sweet Shop, and the smell was inviting. She went inside.

The shop was almost empty, except for one or two lone browsers. It was holidays for the Hogwarts students, and the only patrons of the store at the moment were the volunteers. She wondered around the shop, looking at all the weird and wonderful sweets. After a while, she had picked up a few chocolate frogs, some cauldron cakes, chunks of nougat and toffee, and a few different types of chocolate. She didn't really know what Severus liked, but she would share with him anyway.

She paid, and left the shop carrying her sweets. She passed the Three Broomsticks, deciding that she would come back later for a drink. She wondered down the street, passing all sorts of different shops. One of the shops that caught her eye was Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. She had been there once before, and had always found it interesting. She went inside. Browsing around, she saw all sorts of quills made from different feathers, different sizes, all with different magical abilities. She stopped when she saw a placard under one quill that read 'Magic Dictator Quill'.

"Excuse me," she said, addressing the shop owner. "What exactly does this Quill do?"

"Well, me deary," said the aging wizard. "That there quill is very useful for takin' notes. It writes down everythin' you say, word for word, not like that Quick-Quotes Quill, that never writes an honest word."

"I think I'll take it," she said. She knew that it would come in handy for Severus, because it meant he wouldn't have to physically write anything.

"Four Sickles, please, me dear." Hermione handed over the silver coins, and the old wizard wrapped the quill in a box. "Take care, now," he said as she left.

It was mid-morning by now, and she felt a little thirsty. She made her way over to the Three Broomsticks. She had always loved the place, and it was always warm and inviting. She sat down at the bar, and was greeted by the friendly owner, Madam Rosmerta.

"What will you be drinking today, Hermione?" she asked.

"I think I will just have a Butterbeer, please. And can I please have a bottle of Firewhiskey, and another bottle of Butterbeer to go please?" asked Hermione. Madam Rosmerta nodded, and brought over her order.

Madam Rosmerta asked about the renovations, and about any gossip that was new. Hermione told her about Harry and his plans, and about him and Ginny.

After she finished her drink, she bade the friendly witch good-bye, and left Hogsmeade to go to the castle. She was eager to share her spoils with Severus, and give him the new quill.

**A/N: My dearest and most loyal readers, thank you for all the positivity. It all means a great deal. Please R 'n R. **


	17. Chapter 17 Severus

Chapter 17

It had only been about two hours since she had left, when Severus heard a knocking on the door.

"Hermione, honestly. How many times – Oh. It's you." It wasn't Hermione who had just entered, but Minerva McGonagall. Her sudden appearance put him in a sour mood. The last time the two of them spoke, it was not a very friendly conversation. In fact, Minerva had been absolutely furious with him and had ousted him from the school. He could not blame her: he had played his role well, mainly because he didn't have much choice. Both the Ministry and Hogwarts had fallen under Voldemort's power. As much as he hated to admit it, he had feared for his life. Voldemort had gained power by fear, and rightly so too. Despite that, however, the ousting had been a blow to his ego.

"Yes, it's me. Hello Severus," she replied brusquely.

"Hello Minerva. Have you come to visit? Or to tell me to leave?" he asked, bitterly.

Her face relaxed at his words. She seemed to calm down as she said, "No Severus. I haven't come to send you away. Again. I have merely come to see how you are."

"A visit, then. And why, may I ask, has it taken you this long to gather up your courage to come and see me?" _She_ might have relaxed, but he certainly did not feel the same. He still felt bitter about his rejection.

Minerva sighed. "I have come to apologise," she said. "I admit that it has taken me this long to gain the courage to do so. I feel guilty about what happened. Neither I, nor anybody else for that matter, knew the whole truth. We knew that Dumbledore trusted you, but we always thought that you had gone rogue and was double crossing us, and that Dumbledore's faith in you was misplaced." She paused, "I admit that I was wrong. We all were. Severus, I deeply regret ever losing faith in you, and I beg your forgiveness." She took a deep breath. Her little speech had seemed practised, but it was rather heart-warming to hear her admit her error.

He contemplated her for a moment. He looked deep into her eyes, and she shifted slightly, obviously feeling uncomfortable. He wasn't doing Legilimency, and he knew she had skills in Occlumency, but he enjoyed watching her squirm.

"Alright, Minerva. I accept your apology. I admit, I did not even try to convey my loyalty, because I had to keep that masquerade up," he said.

She smiled. "Friends?" she asked.

"I suppose so. If we must." He did not feel like making friends with her at this moment. Perhaps at a later stage, but for now the wound was still fresh in his mind.

She took this as a good sign. "Good," she said, smiling. "So how are you doing, Severus?"

"Well, unless it has escaped your notice, I am unable to move anything more than my head," he said, with his usual nasty sarcasm.

"Well, you haven't changed much other than that I see. Are you being well looked after?" she asked.

"I am. I am still alive, aren't I?" he asked. He sighed. "Yes, Hermione is doing a great job of looking after me. There is no need to worry about me Minerva."

"Hermione? As in Hermione Granger? She has willingly taken you on?" Minerva stared at him.

"It is not all that surprising, Minerva, given the girl's soft heart and kind nature. You do know how I came to be in this situation, and how I was saved, I assume?"

"Yes, yes, I am aware. She was the one who saved you. She came to me not long after the war ended to tell me."

"Well, I think that she feels somewhat responsible for me. Heavens knows why, but there you go," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He did not want to admit to either Minerva or himself that his feelings ran deeper than the surface.

"Yes, well, she is a very kind and generous girl. And as you say, she has a warm heart. I do hope, Severus, that you are not treating her with contempt. She seems to be doing a lot for you."

"I may be contemptuous and condescending under normal circumstances, but I assure you that these are definitely not normal circumstances."

Just then, the door opened, and Hermione walked into the room, smiling and carrying two bags with her.

"Sev-," she said, stopping short. "Professor McGonagall," she said, recovering quickly. "How nice to see you." She went over to the potions table and put the bags down.

"Hello Hermione. It is good to see you. Been out, I see?"

"Yeah, I went to Hogsmeade for the morning to get a few things." Hermione seemed shy all of a sudden.

"I see. Well, I was just leaving. Take good care of Severus here." She smiled at him, and patted his hand rather awkwardly. She walked out of the room, and closed the door behind her.

Both Hermione and Severus stared for a moment after her, but both regained their composure quickly.

"That was rather awkward," said Severus. Hermione smiled at him, and he could not help feeling the warmth spreading through him again. "So, what did you get at Hogsmeade?" he asked.

She brought the two bags to his bedside table. Sitting on the edge of his bed as she usually did, she started unpacking the contents of the bag onto his bed. From one bag, she pulled out a variety of sweets and chocolates. Some, like the chocolate frogs, didn't tickle his fancy, while the nougat and the dark chocolate did.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I got the best nougat and chocolate, as well as some other popular items," she said.

"I like the nougat and the dark chocolate, and the cauldron cakes," he said reassuringly. "What's in the other bag?" he asked.

"Well, I got you a bottle of Firewhiskey as you requested, and I also got some Butterbeer. I find that it always goes down well."

"That it does. Thank you for the Firewhiskey, Hermione."

"I have one other thing for you," she said, pulling out a long, thin blue box. Curiosity got the better of him as she opened the box. Inside was a long, thin, grey feather.

"A quill? Hermione, need I remind you that I cannot use it?" he asked, feeling slightly disappointed.

"I know Severus, but that is exactly why I got you this quill. It is a magical quill that will write down what you say as you dictate. I have been assured that it writes accurately. It is a Hippogriff feather, and so will only write what its owner says. The magic will last a long time too. Do you like it?" She looked at him, seeking his approval.

"Wow Hermione. That was incredibly thoughtful of you. I don't think you understand what that means for me."

"Well, I thought it would give you a bit of freedom, you know, allow you to do something for yourself for once, even if the quill does write for you." She gave him a shy smile. He felt so happy. It was true. Having this quill meant he could write down his thoughts and ideas and not have to rely on anybody. It was also a gift from her. He had never really received gifts from anyone but Dumbledore, but he gave all his staff gifts, so it didn't really count in his books.

He had no words to say, so instead said, "Well, let's indulge in the delicious things you have bought." He smiled at her. A genuine happy smile. She seemed to understand that it was his way of thanking her. She opened the sweets, and shared them with him.

**A/N: Dearest readers. Oh how your reviews are welcomed! **

**I have mapped out a basic plan of the story, and I can assure you the story will get more interesting from here onwards.**

**Please R 'n R **


	18. Chapter 18 Hermione

Chapter 18

She was pleased with herself. She was glad that she had bought the quill for him. The smile he had given her assured her that the gift was perfect. She was happy that she could help him in some way.

Hermione sat on her bed, looking out the window, contemplating Severus. He was a complicated man with many, many layers. He was a private man; that much was obvious. He liked to keep to himself, but yet the more she was around him, the more he seemed to open up. He seemed to trust her. She had seen the change in his attitude when McGonagall had left. She wondered at that.

She had left Severus to his own devices, to try out the new quill in peace. She came out of her reverie, and realised it was getting dark. She stood up and stretched, enjoying the feeling. She felt a small pang of sadness that Severus was unable to do the same thing, and feel how good it was to stretch.

She decided that it was probably time for dinner. She was feeling slightly bored, so instead of her usual routine of calling for a house elf, she chose to go down to the kitchens instead.

At the painting leading to the kitchens, she looked for the pear, and tickled it. A door handle appeared, and she went inside. The sight was not the same as it had been on her last visit to the kitchens. The mood was somewhat solemn, and the elves were not as cheery as they had usually been. A few elves paused from their cooking to give Hermione a deep bow.

"Miss! Miss!" squealed Winky, who was running up to her.

"Winky!" said Hermione

"Miss, Winky is so happy to see you again!" Winky too gave her a deep bow.

"Good to see you too. Winky, what is the matter with everyone? Why are they all so sad?"

"We is all sad because those mean people made us be like their slaves! We was not treated properly. We is also sad because of Professor Dumbledore," said Winky, her large round eyes not as bright as they had been before. It was obvious to Hermione that Dumbledore's death had taken its toll around here.

"Is there something that Miss needs?" asked Winky.

"Yes, actually I need two plates of dinner. I want to take them up myself."

"What does Miss want for dinner?" asked Winky. The other elves looked at Hermione curiously, waiting for her order.

"Hmm... That roast lamb you are making smells divine. Can I have some of that?"

The elves jumped into action, two carrying plates, while another one dished up. They scurried over to Hermione, holding the plates high above their heads. Hermione took them, and the elves went back to their cooking.

"Thank you, Winky. I will call you when we are done." Winky bowed again, and Hermione left the kitchens, up to the Hospital Wing again.

She paused outside his door for a moment, and she could hear him speaking quietly to his quill. She knocked softly, and his voice ceased.

"_Enter,_" she heard him say. She went inside. On the potions table were the stacks of parchment where she had left them, though a few had moved onto another pile. The quill was poised over one of the sheets, ready to write. "Stop writing," said Severus, and the quill laid itself down on the parchment.

"You've been busy, I see. Enjoying your new quill?" she asked happily.

"It is absolutely wonderful. It works beautifully. Thank you so much for the gift." He smiled at her. He caught sight of the two plates of food. "Is that dinner you have there?" he asked.

"Yes, it's roast lamb. I also got a plate. I thought I'd eat here tonight." She set the two plates on his bedside table and sat on the edge of his bed. She cut up the meat on his plate, and helped him eat. In between giving him bites, she took some of her own.

"Hermione," said Severus after a while. She had just taken a bite of her food and her mouth was full.

"Hmm?" was all she managed in reply.

"I have been thinking. We are magical folk, are we not? Well, there has to be a potion out there somewhere that can solve my problem. I am fully aware that we can't always use magic to solve our problems, and I agree. But surely we can find a potion for this?"

"I agree, there must be a potion for it, but I have looked it up. I have searched and have not found one anywhere." She gave him a disappointed look.

"Well, why don't we make one? I am sure with our combined intellect we can come up with something?" He looked at her imploringly. "Hermione, you are the most intelligent and insightful person that I have ever come across. I mean, in your first year, being only twelve years old, you managed to get through my puzzle to get to the Stone." His eyes searched hers. He seemed almost desperate.

"I thought I was just an insufferable know-it-all to you," she said, and smiled faintly. He was asking a lot of her, but his reasoning was true. She was the most intelligent of her year, and she had always been rather good at potions. She knew Severus was also more intelligent than he let on, having invented spells while still in school.

She thought about it for a while, until Severus had finished his meal.

"Alright. I'll do it. But we will need to work on it together, because you are the expert at potions here." She nodded at him.

"Great. If you look at the top parchment on the pile, you'll see a list of books I have already thought of as using as a reference. You might be able to find them in the restricted section, but a few you might already have," he said.

Hermione could see his excitement welling up, and she could see the hope in his eyes. She, however, didn't feel as hopeful as he. She didn't think that any spell or potion would ever bring Severus back to normal.

But she didn't want to make him lose hope yet. She feigned her excitement, and he seemed not to notice.

"I think I will give you some of the Dreamless Sleep, and then I will go and look for the books," she said. She would go along with it, for now.

"Okay, thank you. I am looking forward to getting started on this."

She poured a measure in the glass. The potion was running low. There was perhaps a day or two that the potion would last.

"I need to make more of this," she said. He looked at the bottle of potion next to his bed.

"You know, I don't think I will need it for much longer. Especially now that I have something to put my mind to work on." His eyes were twinkling. She gave him the potion, and he laid his head back on the pillow.

"Good night, Hermione," he said, getting sleepy. He closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Good night, Severus," she said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. He smiled faintly, not opening his eyes.

Once he had fallen asleep, Hermione left. She was not tired yet, and so decided that she would follow up on the books. She had taken the parchment, and so went down to the Library.

Madam Pince, the librarian, was about to close up for the night. Hermione walked up to her desk as she was shuffling some papers around. She looked up as Hermione reached the desk.

"Ah Hermione, it is so good to see you. It has been a very long time since you were last here," said the witch. Hermione had built up a good relationship with the woman, and she wasn't as stern with Hermione as most other people.

"I know. It has been at least a year since I was last at Hogwarts. You are closing late today I see," commented Hermione. The library usually closed at eight in the evening, but it was well after nine.

"Yes, well, I needed to finish fixing up the Library, get the books in the right place. It has taken me days to fix it up. But tonight it is done."

"Just as well," said Hermione. "Is it alright if I quickly pop in to find a few books? I am working on a new potion, you see, and I need them as reference."

"Yes, alright, just this once. But be quick, I would like to retire for the evening."

Hermione rushed into the Library. Scanning over the list, she quickly sought out the books from various sections. A few of the books were in the Restricted Section, as Severus had predicted.

She walked out, carrying a large pile of books.

"Thanks Madam Pince. I will return them when I am done. Good night," she said to the other witch.

"Alright then. Good night Hermione."

Hermione hadn't realised how far it was to walk from the Library to the Hospital Wing until she was laden with numerous heavy books.

She reached her room, put the books on her table, and collapsed on the bed. Today had been a good day, she thought. She turned off the light, and turned over, feeling tired after a long day.

**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful words from all my loyal readers. **

**Please R 'n R**


	19. Chapter 19 Severus

Chapter 19

Severus felt rested. He had not felt this good in years. He had not had a good night's rest at least since Lily died. He had always felt restless, and often spent nights wondering the castle.

He watched out the window as a flock of birds suddenly took flight over the forest in the distance. He wondered if Hagrid's giant half-brother was still here.

His thoughts moved on to his darker days. As a boy, fresh out of Hogwarts, he had been eager to become a part of Voldemort's group of followers. He had had the idea that the Death Eaters were respected and feared. He had wanted to be a part of that because then he could get his own back on those who had bullied him and made his life hell. That is, until he actually became a Death Eater.

He remembered his initiation. It had been the one and only time he had ever killed someone, other than Dumbledore. Voldemort had a vendetta against a man who had stolen something from him. Severus had not been told the details, just that he had to kill the man. Severus had followed him around for weeks. Eventually, one day, the man was alone. Severus killed him with the killing curse, to make it as quick and painless as possible. He had cried for a long time, before pulling himself together and reporting back to Voldemort. After that, he had received his tattoo. He had regretted it almost instantly. He had been forced to be part of groups that had destroyed villages and homes, that had raped and murdered because the Dark Lord had instructed them to. He himself had not done any of these atrocious acts, but through his leadership he was elevated to become Voldemort's right hand man. These were the worst times of his life. Not even Dumbledore could save him from the nightmares that had plagued him for years. He had refused to take any Dreamless Sleep before, wanting to chastise himself for his mistakes.

He realised that he need not do that anymore. He had redeemed himself by sacrificing his life to save Harry. He smiled inwardly.

Hermione came in not long after he had woken up, carrying a stack of books.

"Morning Severus," she said. She put the books down on the table with a thud.

"Morning Hermione," he replied. "Are those the books I asked you to get?"

"Yes they are. Quite a list, I must say. You were right about getting a few in the restricted section. But there was one other I thought might come in handy." She gave him a sly smile, and from the top of the pile she pulled a book. It looked relatively new as the cover was in good condition.

"_Advanced Potion Making_," Severus read. "Hermione, I know it is a good book, but it wasn't on the list I gave you."

"I know, but look here." She opened the book to the back cover, and along the bottom, in spidery handwriting was written '_This book is the property of The Half-Blood Prince.'_

He stared at her. "How in Merlin's name did you get that book?" he asked her incredulously.

"Well, I don't know if you are aware that Harry had it last year."

"I did. Potter's sudden so-called aptitude in potions got me wondering. It was all I heard about from Slughorn, how Potter was a potions genius. I figured it out. Potter used a spell I had invented, which confirmed my suspicions," he said.

"Yes, well, Harry had put the book in the Room of Requirement after he found out the Half-Blood Prince had been you. Just before we left Hogwarts, I went into the Room, and looked for it. Before, I had never condoned the use of the book, but I saw its value when I found out it had been yours. Luckily I rescued it, because that room was destroyed a few days ago by that idiot Crabbe." She paused. "I thought perhaps it might come in handy in our little project. Your annotations are impeccable. There might be something in there we could use." She gave him an enquiring look.

"That is some good thinking," he said. "I am definitely sure there will be something of use to us in there."

She put the book back on the top of the pile.

"Do you want to get started?" she asked. He did, rather desperately, but he had something else he wanted done first.

"Actually, I was hoping to ask you a favour," he said.

"Anything. What do you need?" she asked. He didn't quite know how to ask this without making it too awkward.

"Well, I am starting to feel a bit grimy. I haven't had a bath or shower in days. You know more than anyone that I wouldn't ask unless I have to, and, well..."

She cut him short. "It won't be a problem. In fact, I have an idea. Stay here," she said, hurrying out of the room.

"It's not as if I can go anywhere," he said to himself.

She returned five minutes later, pushing a chair on wheels, with two towels draped over her shoulder.

"Here, I'll take you in this," she said.

"Take me where, exactly?" he asked curiously. He had seen one of these chairs before, but couldn't remember where.

"The Prefect's Bathroom," she said with a smile.

He did not know quite how she would make use of the Prefect's Bathroom for his request, because she couldn't exactly put him in the tub. He would drown in an instant. But, he trusted her, and knew she probably had something in mind.

She opted not to use magic to put him in the chair. She scooped him up, much as the mediwitch at St Mungo's had done. She lowered him into the chair. It was the first time in days he had been out of bed. She wheeled him out of the room, into the Hospital Wing. There was only one bed occupied now, and the occupant was asleep.

She wheeled him through the corridor, lifted him up one flight of stairs with some magic, and along the fifth floor corridor. He did not know where it was, having never been chosen as prefect. He had heard about the room, but never been there. Hermione stopped outside a door.

"Dux," she said to the door. He heard a click, and she opened the door. As she pushed him in, he marvelled at the vastness and the beauty of the room. On one side of the room were a few toilet stalls. On the other side was what looked like an empty marble swimming pool, with a number of taps. There was a large stained glass window depicting a rock.

"The window usually has a mermaid, but it seems she has gone for the moment," commented Hermione, noticing his reaction to the window. She stopped the wheelchair near the edge of the pool. She went over to the taps, and turned a few of them on. Immediately the bath started filling with water and bubbles of various colours. Once the bath was full, she turned the taps off.

"Ok, now we go swimming," she said.

"_We_?" he asked. He didn't think she would get in.

"Yes. I can't just put you in the tub, you'd drown," she said. "I am going to get in with you."

She began pulling off her shirt, and Severus looked away, blushing slightly.

"Don't worry, I have a costume on." He looked back at her, and she was not lying. She was wearing a light blue bikini top and swimming shorts.

"What about me?" he asked. He did not have swimming shorts, and certainly did not want to get in the water bare.

"You are wearing underwear, are you not?" she asked. He nodded. She helped him out of his clothes, leaving his black underwear on.

She lifted him again, and carried him to the pool. She got into the pool at the stairs. The moment he touched the water, he panicked slightly.

"Don't worry, I have you," she said, reassuringly. He calmed down again, and knew that he could trust her.

He floated on the water. She held him lightly under the back so he wouldn't sink. The feeling of the warm water over his body was wonderful. He felt as light as a feather, and almost free. He smiled, and he knew at that moment that he would be okay. He would get through this ordeal.

**A/N: T****hank you to everybody who has reviewed, especially my loyal reviewers. You are awesome **


	20. Chapter 20 Hermione

Chapter 20

Hermione held her hand lightly under Severus' back just to keep him afloat. He had his eyes closed, and she admired how peaceful he seemed. She looked at him while he was enjoying the feeling of the water. His face had a pink scar running across his cheek. Over the last few days she had grown accustomed to it, and no longer noticed it. She looked at the scars all over his body, the fresh pink ones from the War, and others she noticed now that she looked at him, were pale and looked like they were from long ago. She felt that this man had some element of being handsome, despite, or perhaps because of, his flaws.

He opened his eyes. "Beautiful," he said softly.

"What is?" she asked. He didn't reply, but merely smiled. She figured he must be talking about the room or the feeling of the water.

"Do you want to walk?" she asked suddenly.

"Walk? What do you mean walk?" he asked, his eyes shooting open.

"Here, let me show you," she said.

She pushed his legs down so that he was more or less vertical. She wrapped her arms around his chest from behind so that he wouldn't sink and so that she could help him 'walk'. She was improvising, but she had a general idea of how to get him to walk. She pushed his right leg forward with her foot, and took a step forward. Then she did the same with the other foot. She continued doing that for a few steps.

"How does that feel?" she asked.

He let out an excited laugh. "Ha ha! I am walking again!" He laughed. "I know this is not the real thing, but this is amazing."

Hermione smiled broadly behind his back. She didn't think that it would have such an effect on him. She had not realised just how trapped he felt. She thought that if she had been injured and not able to move, she didn't think she would be as mentally strong as he was. He had said that despite his disability he felt freer than he had ever before, now that he was no longer in the employ of the two most powerful wizards in recent history.

After a while of walking him around the pool, she stopped.

"Hey I was enjoying that," he said jovially, and he had a grin on his face and his eyes were twinkling. She hadn't seen him this alive in a long time.

"Well, I figure we must get in some more exercises while we are here." The effect of just walking around had given her the idea to do more exercises which might give him that same feeling. "Okay, now you need to work with me on this." She pushed his arm under the water and held it there. "Push up against my hand," she said. He gave her a confused look.

"You know I can't Hermione," he said.

"No. Don't give me any of this 'I can't' business," she said firmly, but not unkindly. "Will your hand to move. You have to keep thinking about moving. You have to stay positive." She looked him in the eye, and he seemed to understand. His negativity was not going to help him in the slightest. He was always saying 'I can't', and Hermione knew that it should not happen any longer. It would only bring him down.

He shut his eyes tightly in concentration, and although Hermione could not feel any movement, she knew he was trying very hard. Suddenly, she felt the slightest twitch from one of his fingers. It was ever so slight that if she had not been focusing on his hand, she would have missed it.

"Did you feel that?" she asked excitedly. He opened his eyes.

"I did. Well I think I did, but I can't be sure. My mind plays tricks on me. I imagine myself moving, and sometimes it feels like I am, but actually nothing is happening."

"This was actual movement. Your finger twitched. Granted, it was slight movement, but it was more than you have done before anyway." She was so excited now, and full of hope. This was a step in the right direction.

"Let's do it again," said Severus, looked more determined than ever. "I want to see if I can do it again."

She held his hand still, and but this time he didn't shut his eyes. Instead, he stared at his hand under the water, and the determination was clear in his face. He stayed like that for almost a full minute, before releasing a breath she hadn't noticed him take.

"It won't move. No matter how hard I try, it just won't move." He seemed downhearted at his lack of further progress.

She took his chin in her hand and forced him to look at her. "Severus, don't be discouraged. This is the first time you have really tried, and though you may not have moved more than a finger, you must remember that Rome was not built in a day." He gave her a puzzled look at this. "A Muggle saying. Never mind that. The point is you have to keep trying, and give it time. This is a great thing to have happened already."

He looked thoughtful. "Alright Hermione. I am just disappointed that I couldn't do it again. I am hoping that it wasn't just a spasm or the movement of the water that caused it, and that I will never do it again."

"Come on, don't give up hope," she said encouragingly. "This is just the beginning. Who knows how much you'll improve given time and lots of exercises."

"Maybe. We will see." He paused for a long moment. "It was a good idea coming here. At least I am clean now."

"Ah, hang on. We missed something. Do you want me to wash your hair?" she asked.

"Yes, please. I think it might just make me feel better."

She brought his legs back up so that he was floating on his back again. She took hold of his head and tilted it back slightly so that his hair was wet. She reached over to the edge of the giant tub to the shampoo dispenser. The shampoo had a sweet smell, like citrus fruits. She put the shampoo in her hand onto his head. She rubbed vigorously, and it foamed up in his hair. When she was done, she tilted his head back again to rinse it out.

"Ok I think we are done now," she said. "We should get back." He agreed with her, and she took him in her arms again the way she had before. She slowly climbed up the steps out of the tub.

Hermione put him back in his wheelchair, and then took a towel and wrapped him in it. She took the other towel and dried herself quickly. Then she dried Severus by rubbing the towel over him, and wrapped him in it.

She wheeled him out of the bathroom and back down to the Hospital Wing on the floor below.

Once they were back in his room, she put her shirt back on over her bikini.

"I'll change later," she said, and lifted Severus out of the chair back onto his bed that had been made while they were out. On his bedside table was a fresh bundle of his clothes. Obviously the elves had been there. She took the black t-shirt and long pants and put them on him.

Next she proceeded to dry his hair with a quick-dry spell. She took a comb out of the drawer in his bedside table and ran it through his now dry hair. His hair had the same sheen to it that it had always had, which everybody thought was grease, but it was just his thick hair that seemed to do it naturally.

She ran her fingers through his hair once it had been combed, and it felt so very soft to the touch. He leaned his head ever so slightly into her hand as she ran it through his hair. He had his eyes closed, and it seemed to her that he was enjoying it. She smiled. She had to admit to herself that she enjoyed it too.

**A/N:** **Patience is a virtue. I did say that the genre was Friendship/Romance. There is a reason I put Friendship first, because that needs to happen before Romance. But as I think you can see, it won't be much longer before that happens **

**Please check my profile for more notes on this story. (I couldn't put them all in here, and they apply to the story in general, not a specific chapter)**

**I really appreciate all the wonderful reviews I have been receiving. Please keep them coming.**


	21. Chapter 21 Severus

Chapter 21

Hermione's idea to use the Prefect's Bathroom had been a fantastic one. Firstly, he had been able to get clean without making it awkward for her. Secondly, she had given him the chance to walk again, despite it being only her pushing his legs. Thirdly, he had moved of his own accord. True, it had only been a twitch, but that one twitch had given him so much hope, and filled him with positivity. He was now more determined than ever that he would walk out of the Hospital Wing.

Severus sighed. He wished she had not left. True, it would not be long before she would be back; she had only gone to change. She had interrupted the moment when, after a good few moments, she had stopped abruptly. He had seen the blush she had been trying to hide from him as she hurried out of the room, saying she was going to change.

He didn't have to wait very long, however, when she returned, dressed in jeans and a white top, her wet hair hanging loosely at her shoulders.

"Feeling better?" she asked him. He wondered for a moment what she was referring to.

"Oh, yes," he said, realising that she meant being clean. "Yes, I feel a lot better. And fresher." He smiled. "You don't realise how refreshing a bath is until you have one." He paused. "I just want to thank you for the little exercise. Getting me to feel like I was walking again is such a motivation."

"It is only a pleasure. It was so good to see you happy. You looked alive." She was smiling, such a beautiful smile.

"Hermione," he said after a moment. "Why are you doing this for me?"

"What do you mean? What am I doing?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"All of it. Everything," he said. "You saved me when you could have left me to die. You are looking after me when you could be doing anything else. You keep me company when you could be in the company of your best friends, who I am sure you miss. You do things for me that I don't even ask for, like getting my favourite meal and getting me that quill." He gave her a searching look.

She seemed to be at a loss for words. He smiled inwardly because it was the first time he thought he had ever seen her like this. After a moment though, she seemed to have found words.

"Well, if I just left you to die, I would be as much of a murderer as those Death Eaters. As for going down to my friends, well I spent nearly a year with them looking for Horcruxes. They are big boys and can live without me for a while," she said. He had noticed that she had yet to look at him. "And besides, I actually enjoy being here, and spending time with you, helping you to get better."

"You do?" he asked. He never thought she would ever say those words. He was astounded at hearing that she actually wanted to spend time with him.

"Yeah, I do," she said. He didn't quite understand the look she gave him. "Shall we get started on our project then?" she asked, and her quick change of topic didn't go unnoticed.

"Let's," he said.

Hermione shifted the bedside table so that it was about halfway down the length of the bed. She put the pile of thick books on the potions table and sat down in the armchair.

"Ok, so tell me what your plan is for this potion. Have you thought about what will go in it?" she asked. Her tone had changed from her gentle and caring one into her old matter-of-fact tone. He knew she was getting down to business.

"Yes, I actually have. The reason I am this way is not because of an incurable accident or a spinal injury, but because of snake venom. It was a neurotoxin that has left me incapacitated..."

"Yes, I know that much. St Mungo's sent a letter after you arrived detailing your accident. Not that I didn't know it anyway. But go on," she said.

"Well, because it was a poison, so to speak, that caused this, then perhaps I think it beneficial to include a bezoar as our main ingredient. Perhaps if we make a base using the juices of a bezoar stewed in water, it would be a good start. I think there is a potion somewhere that uses it, and we can see how to prepare it from there," he said.

Hermione jumped up and looked in the pile of books on the table. He didn't know what had caused her to react like this, when she suddenly returned to her chair. She was carrying a very ancient looking book.

"I am sure I have seen that in here somewhere," she said, and lifted the book to show him the cover. She was referring to '_Moste Potente Potions'._

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, yes quite sure. I remember seeing something like this when I used this book to brew Polyjuice Potion in my second year," she said, not even paying attention to him, paging through the book.

"Polyjuice Potion? In your second year?" he asked, quite taken aback. That potion was only brewed by advanced potioneers, and it took a month to do it least. It was not even taught in the school syllabus.

"Yes, we wanted to sneak into the Slytherin common room to see if Malfoy knew who the Heir was. Obviously we didn't know it was Tom Riddle at that time." She said absent-mindedly. She was still paging through the book, her eyes scanning each page rapidly.

He sniggered, "Such a Slytherin thing to do. I would never have expected it from the model Gryffindors," he said. She stopped paging through the book, and looked up at him then.

"What?" she asked, slightly confused.

"Using Polyjuice to get into the Slytherin common room." She blushed. "Who, may I ask, did you use for your disguise?"

"Well, Harry and Ron got hairs from Crabbe and Goyle. We figured that Malfoy would tell them."

"And who did you use? I am sure you would not want to miss out on the action."

She didn't meet his eyes this time, and blushed an even deeper red. "Well, I got a hair from Millicent Bulstrode's robes when we were duelling in the hall. You remember the duelling?" she asked.

"I do, but don't change the topic," he said. She was clearly trying to avoid telling him something, but he wasn't going to let up.

"Well, the hair I picked up wasn't her hair after all. It was... it was..." she seemed to struggle saying it.

"Yes?" he said, encouragingly.

"It was a cat hair," she said. "I turned into a cat, and had to stay in the Hospital Wing for a month. It's why I missed classes."

He had a hard time suppressing his laughter. She looked up at him then, and he could not hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing. She looked puzzled, but then after a moment laughed with him. The door opened then, and Poppy stuck her head in the room.

"What in Merlin's name is..." She paused as she saw Severus and Hermione laughing. They both caught sight of her, and tried their best to smother their laughter. Poppy looked absolutely shocked, probably at the fact the he was laughing, he thought. She backed out of the room and closed the door behind her, without another word.

"Well, you must have made a very cute cat," he said after they had both calmed down enough to speak.

She smiled, "I suppose. I didn't really want to see what I looked like. Anyway, I think I have found the potion I was looking for. It is an anti-venom potion, and it's really old, but I think it might just work," she said.

It amazed him just how good her memory was. It had been at least five years since she had last opened the book, and yet could remember small details like that. He knew she was the perfect person to help him with his task.

**A/N: It has been brought to my attention that there is an error in my recollection of the earlier HP books in this chapter. I am aware of the mistake, but it is minor and does not affect the overall plot. I hope it does not detract from the enjoyment of the story. :)**

**A/N: Reviews are always welcome **

**PS My *new* Twitter account is reader_93 **


	22. Chapter 22 Hermione

Chapter 22

Hermione and Severus had been working on the potion for almost three months. They had a routine going. In the morning, Hermione would come in and give Severus his breakfast. Then she would take him in the wheelchair to the Prefect's Bathroom on the floor above. There, she would walk him around the pool, as well as do other exercises with him for at least an hour. Then they would return, and Hermione and Severus would have breakfast. She would rather have her breakfast in his room rather than go down to the Great Hall. After breakfast, the two of them would get to work on the potion. Over the weeks, they would come up with a new potion, and combination of ingredients. Then Hermione would attempt to brew the potion, and every time she had tried she had failed. Sometimes they had exploded in her face, and would be tended to by Poppy. Other times, the cauldron melted, and had to be replaced. The problem was, they didn't quite know what the resultant potion should look like.

It was mid-way through August, and approaching autumn, and the start of the new school year. Hermione had been brewing the current potion for a week, and it was now reaching a pivotal point. It was getting late that particular evening, and Hermione was still not done.

"Severus, I might need to sleep here, because in two hours, it will need to be stirred." She checked her watch. "If I don't do it at specifically the right time, who knows what might happen, and I think we might just have it this time."

"That's okay, Hermione. I think it might be a good idea to sleep here. But where will you sleep?" he asked. She looked around, and her eye fell on the comfy armchair that was still next to his bed.

"The armchair will do nicely," she said. "Let me just go have a quick shower and grab a blanket, and I will be right back." He nodded, smiled, and turned to look out the window.

Hermione made her way to the next room, her own, so she could freshen up. Her room had become hers. She felt at home here. As she was undressing to have a shower, she glanced out of the window. In the distance she could see the Quidditch Pitch. By now, the pitch was completely redone. Harry had influenced the Heads and the architects to do an upgrade of the stadium, and it was amazing to say the least. Hermione had yet to go there to have a look, but from what she could see out the windows it looked really great.

She got into the shower, and while the warm water ran over her, she thought. She thought about her parents again, not for the first time. She thought about if things had been different, if she had never become friends with harry and Ron, would she be the same person? There were many things that passed through her mind as she showered.

She walked back into Severus' room, carrying the soft red blanket she had been given as a gift from Poppy for her help and curled up on the armchair.

"You look distracted. What is the matter?" asked Severus. Hermione looked up at him, and gathered her thoughts.

"Yes, rather. I was just thinking," she said, still a little absent-minded.

"Care to tell me what is bothering you?" he asked kindly. She wondered why he was so caring, but then, she thought, he has changed. He has been like this for the last couple of weeks.

"It's my parents. I miss them," she said. She had been wondering now for weeks of their location and safety.

"What happened to them?" he asked. She had not told him of what she had done last year to protect them.

"Last year, when I decided to go and help harry and Ron look for the Horcruxes, I modified their memories and made them believe they wanted to live in Australia," Her eyes started welling up with tears. "I did it for their own safety, because I knew I would probably become a target, and that they might be used against me," she said. Suddenly she couldn't hold it anymore, and she started sobbing. "Th-they don't even kn-know who I am. Th-they can't r-remember me..." she sobbed.

She put her head down on his bed, and took his hand and sobbed into it.

"There, there," he said, rather awkwardly. "It will be alright. I am sure that you will be able to find them and restore their memories sooner or later." She cried for a while, and after a few minutes managed to pull herself together.

"It's just, I miss them so much. My mum would always be there to tell me it was ok, and she always knew how to make me feel better. And my dad would always find something new and interesting to engage my interests. They both were always trying to find new things for me to take an interest in. They would take me on holidays all over the world so I could learn new things. They were always encouraging me in whatever it was I doing, be it ballet or reading." She sighed. Severus said nothing, but merely listened. After a moment, she asked, "Do you miss your parents?"

He gazed out the window, and after a while, when she thought he would not answer the question, he spoke.

"My parents were not the loving kind," he said, wearily. "My mother was not around much, preferring to stay out of the house and away from my father and me. My father, well, he hated everything, and especially everything to do with magic. He was a Muggle, you see." He paused, for a long time. Hermione said nothing, wanting to hear more. "My parents bickered all the time, and I was often left to do my own thing. That's how I came to be friends with Lily Evans. We lived in the same area, and I would often see her in the park with her sister." He sighed, and then looked back at Hermione. "My father died just after I went to Hogwarts, and my mother vanished, leaving me, then a twelve year old boy to look after myself. So, to answer your question, no, I do not miss my parents."

Hearing Severus' story made her feel sad. He had never known love, had never known what it was like to be cared for. It didn't sound like his parents really took note of his existence. It made sense to Hermione why he had always been such a mean and nasty man, and it explained, partially, why he turned to the Dark Arts and joined Voldemort.

She took his hand, and curled back up on the armchair and covered herself with the blanket. She sat there, holding his hand, waiting for the potion.

At five minutes to midnight, Hermione was woken by the alarm on her wristwatch. She had fallen asleep holding Severus' hand. She looked up at him, and he had a faint smile on his face, and he looked utterly content. She removed her hand from his, carefully so as not to wake him, and stood up. She stretched, her muscles aching slightly from falling asleep in the chair, and moved over to the table where the potion was brewing. She looked at her watch again. One minute left. She picked up the spoon, and held it poised over the cauldron.

"Were you not planning to wake me?" said Severus, sounding tired.

"I didn't want to wake you, no. You looked so peaceful I didn't want to disturb it," she said apologetically.

"This could be the right potion, the breakthrough. I would not have minded had you woken me," he said. She would have replied, had she not begun stirring the potion.

"Three times clockwise," she said as she did it, "And five times anti-clockwise." She stopped. The potion had a silvery blue sheen to it. "I think it's done, Severus. I think we might have done it this time," she said excitedly.

"Really?" he said, sounding equally as excited. "Let's have it then. Come on Hermione, there is no point waiting until the morning to test it. Let's see if we did it."

She felt reluctant to give him some of the potion. She didn't know what would happen. She hesitated for a moment.

"Come on, Hermione. What have I got to lose? I honestly don't think I could get any worse than this," he said encouragingly. She made a choice. She filled a beaker with the blue potion and walked over to his bedside. He tilted his head forward to drink it more easily.

"Well, here goes nothing," he said as she tilted the potion up so he could drink. He downed the whole beaker in one go. Hermione gasped as the effects took hold immediately. This was definitely not what she had expected.

**A/N: Sorry to leave you in suspense, but I will update as fast as possible **


	23. Chapter 23 Severus

**And here it is...**

**A/N: Dearest and desperate readers. I apologise for the serious cliff-hanger, but I simply couldn't resist. :D Yes I know it was mean, but at least it kept you wanting more. Lucky then that I update as fast as I do ;) enjoy!**

Chapter 23

The pain was unbearable. It felt as though his veins were made of fire and his muscles ice. He started shaking violently and uncontrollably, and his eyes rolled back. He lost focus on what was happening around him. He tasted something vile in his mouth, and felt as though he was about to be sick. He could feel something running down his cheek. He wanted to cry out in pain, but his throat had closed up and he couldn't breathe. The thought went through his mind that he was having a fit and was going to die.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, the shaking stopped. His whole body relaxed, and he found he could breathe again. His cheek felt wet. The bedclothes were tangled around him. He looked up into the anxious face of Hermione, who looked as though she were on the verge of tears.

"Did we do it?" he asked weakly. "Did it work?"

"I don't know. Try and move," she said. He flexed his fingers. It certainly felt as though he had moved them.

"Well?" he asked. "Did my fingers move?" Her face fell, and it felt as though his heart had dropped like a stone into his stomach.

"No, Severus, nothing moved. Nothing has changed," she said, and she sounded as disappointed as he felt.

"Wow, Hermione. Did you light the fire in here?" he asked. He suddenly felt hot. Uncomfortably hot.

"No, I didn't. Why?" she asked, and she put her hand across his forehead.

"It is so hot in here," he said.

"No wonder you feel so hot. You are burning up," she said, the panic rising in her voice again. "Let me go and get Poppy." She was about to go when he stopped her.

"No, wait. Stay here, Hermione. Don't bother her for this. I am sure it is just a fever," he said, his own voice sounding hoarse. "Let's just wait and see how it goes," he said, trying to reassure her, but not feeling so confident himself.

"Yes, yes. Alright Severus. But if you are not better by tomorrow morning, I will have to call Poppy. Meanwhile, I will stay here, in case anything else happens," she said in a serious voice.

"Deal," he said. "But please will you open the window." She did as he asked, before curling up on the armchair and settling herself down for the evening.

That night Severus did not sleep at all. He found that he was so hot, and it felt as though he was getting hotter. He was absolutely drenched in sweat. Once during the night, Hermione woke with a start, and frantically checked him to see if he was okay.

"I am alright Hermione. Just hot as hell," he said.

She cast a cooling-spell on him, and he felt better with the cool air blowing gently over him. Hermione had taken his hand again during the night, and had fallen asleep like this. There was no hope for him to fall asleep, so he waited. Sometime near dawn, he felt himself cooling slightly. The heat was not as unbearable as it had been earlier.

Hermione woke as the sun rose. She lifted her head from the edge of the bed where it had fallen some hours earlier.

"Morning, sunshine," he teased, as she lifted her groggy head and blinked at him wearily. "Sleep well?" he asked.

"Morning Severus," she said thickly. "I slept alright. How about you?" she asked, as she rubbed her tired eyes and stretched.

"Slept like a baby," he lied.

"What, woke up crying every two hours?" she joked, a weak smile on her face. "How are you feeling this morning?" she asked.

"Perfectly fine. In fact I might just have a morning jog around the castle," he said. She sat upright at this, a serious look on her face. "I am joking Hermione. I don't feel much different than before, just that I am still a bit warm." She put her hand on his forehead again to gauge his temperature. "Honestly, you don't have to tell Poppy," he said.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, but decided against going.

"Alright, Severus. I take your word for it. I won't call her. But I am still not leaving here until the fever has broken," she said.

'In that case, I want to have a fever forever,' he thought slyly. "That's fine by me," he said instead.

"You have something on your cheek," she said, and took a cloth and wiped his cheek. He was thankful for that, because his cheek had felt sticky all night. "What exactly happened last night?" she asked.

"Well, physically, I started fitting, and it felt as though my veins were on fire, and my muscles frozen. I _think_ that could be the venom being extracted from my body. It could also be the vile stuff that was on my cheek," he said. It was the only logical explanation he had. She seemed satisfied with it.

"But you can't move," she said, sounding confused.

"I know. Maybe it will still take a few days," he replied. "Let's not give up hope just yet."

It took until that evening before his fever had broken. He felt normal again, or as normal as he could given the circumstances. He had told Hermione numerous times that he was ok, and only now she believed him.

"I'm hungry, aren't you?" he asked eventually. Hermione stopped her pacing and looked at him.

"Dinner. Yes. Sorry," she said, and she rushed out of the room. He had asked for food partially to get her mind off worry about him. He was not used to anyone worrying like this over him. She returned a few minutes later carrying two plates of food.

"Chicken cordon bleu," she said, and showed him the food. It looked and smelled delicious, as usual. She fed him as she usually did, and nothing at much exciting happened for most of the evening.

That is, until she took his hand again. He willed with all his might that he could hold her hand too. He wished with every fibre of his being that he could squeeze her hand too, to show he actually felt something for her, without having to actually say it.

Then, suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, his hand closed around hers. He thought it was just another one of his imagined movements, until Hermione suddenly looked up at him. It was only then that he realised he had done it, for real this time.

**A/N: I was considering leaving this chapter til the morning to upload, but I thought that it might be mean **

**PS Today (31 Oct 2011) 30 years ago Lily and James sacrificed their lives for Harry. RIP**


	24. Chapter 24 Hermione

Chapter 24

It was late in the evening, and though Severus' fever had broken, Hermione was reluctant to leave. She was very worried about him. She wondered if he would have a relapse of fits or have a fever again. She didn't want to risk anything. So instead, she curled up on the armchair that she had slept in the night before. She let her mind wonder, and she took his hand without thinking about it. Suddenly, and quite without warning, his hand closed over hers. She got a fright, a looked from his hand to his face. There was a look of triumph and pride on his face.

"You did it..." she said slowly. "You moved. You really moved." She was dumbfounded.

"You know what this means?" he asked, excitedly. "We did it. The potion was a success! Hermione you are a genius!" She was still gaping at him, and then suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly.

"Oh Sev, you might just be able to walk out of here after all!" she said, and tears welled up in her eyes. She was so happy for him. It meant he would no longer have to be trapped in that useless body anymore. Eventually she let go of him.

"Sev, we mustn't lose hope. You will walk out of here," she said, looking at him determinedly.

"I know Hermione. I won't lose hope, not now," he said, and he seemed completely calm. He squeezed her hand again. She looked down at their hands, and realised she had not let go yet. Neither had he. She stared at their joined hands for a long moment. She looked up at him, and he gave her hand another squeeze, and he gave her a meaningful look. She didn't quite know what the look meant. She suddenly felt uncomfortable, and took her hand from his.

"It's late. I... er... better go. Sleep and all that, you know..."

"Well, if you must. Good night, Hermione. And thanks," he said, quietly. She walked out of his room and closed the door behind her, but did not go to her room. Instead she just stood, leaning against his door for a long time, thinking.

'He likes you. I knew it all along,' the emotional voice in her head said triumphantly.

'It sounds as though you were hoping for it,' said the logical voice.

'Damn right I was. Think about it. He needs you, and you need him.'

'_If_ he has feelings for me, then they are probably because I am the only one he has seen in months. And as for me needing him, well I can date whoever I want. I can leave anytime,' the logical voice said nastily.

'So why don't you leave then, hmm? I know why, it's because you know I am speaking the truth. True, you could be with anyone, but you choose to spend your time instead with Severus. Hermione, he is helping you heal in your own way,' said the emotional voice, rather insistently.

'Yeah, and how is that so?' the other voice snapped.

'You have lost a lot of people you loved in this war. Some of your friends, your parents, and you have taken to hiding in the Hospital Wing, where you don't have to face all these things. Severus has given you hope, he has given you a challenge. He has changed, that much is obvious. He cares about you as much as you him. Have you not noticed how well he listens? And for once, you have someone on your intelligence level, who doesn't give you confused looks when you speak.'

'Ok you have a fair point. But what about the age gap?'

'There is a Muggle quote that goes something like 'Age does not protect us from love, but love, to some extent, protects us from age.' Age is merely a state of mind more than a state of body. Hermione, just give the man a chance.' The emotional voice was right, and logic could not argue for once.

She sighed, and turned around, and opened the door slowly. Severus did not look up at her appearance. He was staring blankly outside, where the stars were twinkling brightly. She paused at the doorway.

"You know, Lily Evans was the only person I ever loved. I did so much for her without her even knowing. After she died, everything I did was in her memory. Now I realise that it will always be in vain. She is gone. There is no point loving someone who will never love me back," he said sadly.

It was then that he looked at her, and there were tears in his eyes. She finally understood the look her gave her. He felt the same way she did. He was just as lost and confused as her. It was in that moment that she realised the truth of her thoughts. She _did_ need him, and he needed her. She rushed over to him, and took his hand.

"I am here, Severus. Don't worry. I am here. I will never leave you," she said, squeezing his hand. He squeezed hers back. She gently wiped away his tears with her thumb, cupping his head in her hand as she did so. He smiled at her through his tears.

He seemed to be holding something back. He was not telling her something.

"What is it, Severus?" she asked, sitting next to him on the side of his bed.

He looked at her for a long moment, seemingly having a mental argument as to whether he should tell her. Eventually he spoke.

"Nobody has ever taken the time to even ask how I am, except perhaps Albus. Nobody cared about me, and everybody was always suspicious of me. The staff and students, the Order, even the Death Eaters. My motives were always questioned. Rumours spread about me like wildfire. In the end, nobody trusted me, though some of the staff did only because Albus did. After I..." He swallowed. "Well, after what happened, nobody trusted me. They had their reasons, which is understandable. But I was cast out from all sides. I was rejected by everyone, on both the good and evil side." He sighed, and looked at her. "The point I am trying to make, is that after all that, you still saved me, you still look after me. You are probably the only person who has ever cared about me. It's hard _not_ to develop feelings for someone as special as you, Hermione," he said. He looked away from her again, out the window. He seemed genuinely sad. It was times like this that he looked much older than he really was.

She cupped his cheek in her hand and turned his head to look at her.

"Sev," she said, using a nickname for him. His eyes darted up to meet hers. "You never deserved to be treated like that. Your whole life you have endured rejection. It was unfair on you. I admit that I was guilty of it too, and I apologise. But now, there is no reason to feel that." She looked deep in his eyes. They seemed to draw her in. "At first, I looked after you mainly because I felt responsible for you. But now, things are different. You have changed. I would rather spend time with you than do anything else. I _want _to be here. I care about you." She paused, and didn't know how to say the next words. "I think I have developed feelings for you too." She felt like an invisible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Admitting that made her feel lighter, especially now she knew for sure he felt the same way.

"You have?" he asked, sounding a little taken aback.

"Yeah, actually, I have. I never realised it, but you are healing me too. I think I needed to have someone feel something for me. Someone who knew what it means to feel something for someone. Sure, in the past Viktor was interested, and that moron Cormack, but you are different. With you I don't have to put on a mask and be someone I'm not. I don't have to dumb myself down to be understood. You care about me, as much as I do you. So yes, I do feel the same way to be honest," she said.

**A/N: Well, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed Please R 'n R**

**reader_93**


	25. Chapter 25 Severus

Chapter 25

Severus looked at Hermione in amazement. So much had changed in the last few months. When he had felt like he had nothing left to live for, no further purpose, when he was at his absolute lowest point in his life, and was ready to give up, she had saved him. Not only had she saved his life, but she had saved his soul. She had allowed him to be redeemed.

"I have to go, Sev. It's late, and as much as I want to, I can't sleep in the armchair again," she said after a while. He looked into her light brown eyes. They held so much emotion in them. He could see that this was a girl who didn't do a half-job ever, and that included her feelings.

"Alright Hermione. Sleep well. I shall see you in the morning then." He didn't want her to go, but he also didn't want her to be uncomfortable. Besides, asking her to stay would be selfish. She leant over him and pressed her soft lips to his forehead. When she stood up again, he could feel his forehead tingling where her lips had just been. She turned and left without another word.

The tingling in his forehead did not go away. He didn't mind it, though. It made him feel alive. He lay in his bed, and stared blankly out the window. The stars outside seemed dimmed, as though her beauty outshone them. He chuckled at the pathetic use of the cliché, but he could see now why those kinds of things became clichés.

He tried to relax his tired mind. He had not slept at all the previous night, due to the fever. He felt tired to the core. The pillow behind his head was soft. He closed his eyes, and he could still see her face smiling at him. It was with that image in his mind that he fell asleep.

The nightmares returned to him that night for the first time in months. He was standing in the Shrieking Shack again. The first thing he saw was Voldemort. This time, however, Voldemort was not facing him, he was bearing down on a quivering figure huddled in a corner, whimpering. He could hear Voldemort's high cold laughter. Voldemort glanced over his shoulder at Severus, still laughing, and it was then that he saw who the figure on the floor was: it was Hermione. She was bleeding and bruised all over. It looked as if Voldemort had tortured her. Severus tried to run over to her, to help her, to save her. But he couldn't move. He couldn't do anything except watch as Voldemort tortured her. She stood up, as though to try and defend herself, and she pointed her wand at Voldemort. There was a flash of green light, and for a moment he was blinded. He felt hopeful that it had been Voldemort that had been killed, but then he saw Hermione collapsed on the floor. Voldemort moved away from her, and he could see her eyes staring blankly at him, her mouth slightly opened. She was dead. Voldemort glided over to where he stood, and laughed in his face. Severus was beside himself, and was struggling with all his might to get to her. He could feel the tears streaming down his face, but he didn't care.

"Severus!" said a frantic voice. It was hers. But how? She was dead. "Severus! Wake up!" said her voice again. Wake up? He opened his eyes, and had to squint in the sudden brightness of the room. His eyes were blurred by tears, and he blinked a few times, and Hermione's face swam into view.

"Oh my god, you're alive!" he whispered.

"I am alive Severus. I am here. You just had a nightmare," she said soothingly. She held him up and cradled his head. He was sobbing. "Shh, it's alright Sev, I'm right here..." she kept saying. It was only a dream, he kept telling himself. She is alive.

When he had managed to calm down, she laid him back down. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I am now. I just had a nightmare, that's all. You don't have to worry about me," he said, trying to convince her he was alright. It was a lie though; he could still see her blank eyes staring back at him if he closed his eyes. She pressed another kiss on his forehead, and turned to leave.

"Wait," he said, stopping her. "Please, don't go." He didn't think he would be able to face having another nightmare tonight.

"Ok I'll stay," she said. "Are you sure you are okay though?" He could hear the concern in her voice. He shook his head. Hermione didn't say anything, and just lay down next to him. She put his arm around her neck so she could snuggle up against his chest and shoulder. It was the most comfortable feeling in the world. It felt as though she belonged there. His rapid breathing calmed to a normal pace.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently.

She was looking up at him, her hand resting on his chest. He leaned his head forward, and gently, timidly, kissed her. Her lips were soft. Her eyes widened at the sudden contact, but slowly fluttered closed. He parted his lips slightly, and hers moved with his. He felt the tip of her tongue flicker past her lips, and he did the same. He deepened the kiss until it became almost desperate. It was Severus who broke the kiss, apologising.

"What are you apologising for?" she asked. He was embarrassed. He had been swept up in the moment, in the happiness of knowing she was actually alive, and that she was his.

"I thought I had lost you forever."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, running her finger tip along his jaw line gently.

"My dream. I thought I lost you." She stopped tracing his jaw line, and looked into his eyes.

"What happened?" There was a mixture of curiosity and worry in her voice.

"Well, to cut a long story short, I dreamt that Voldemort had killed you, in front of me. I couldn't do anything to save you." He closed his eyes, and took a deep shaky breath.

Snuggling her head into his shoulder, she said, "It was only a dream." He looked down to the top of her head. "I will stay here tonight," she said into his chest. He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you," he said simply. He laid his head back on the pillow, and closed his eyes. This was how it should be, he thought, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Please, read and review as always :)**


	26. Chapter 26 Hermione

Chapter 26

The sun was shining into the room, warming her face. She was so comfortable, and felt well rested. She took a deep breath and there was a new smell. It smelled of cinnamon and fresh bread and parchment. She opened her eyes, and found she was lying in the exact same position she had fallen asleep in, snuggled against Severus. Hermione looked up into his face. His eyes were still closed, and his breathing slow and rhythmic. It was obvious that he was still deeply asleep. She lay still, just watching him. Something about him had changed, but she couldn't tell what it was exactly. She took in his features, his hooked nose, soft cheeks, and long black hair. She noticed a small scar just above his right eye that was barely noticeable. The gash on his face had healed well, but there was still a raised scar. She reached up and slowly, gently, traced the raised scar on his cheek. It stretched diagonally across his face from his left temple, across the bridge of his nose, across his right cheek to his jaw. He stirred at her touch. Hermione had not intended to wake him; she was just mesmerized by his features.

"Morning," said Severus thickly. He looked down at her with bleary eyes and smiled.

"Morning Sev." She liked the nickname. "Did you sleep well?" she asked. He closed his eyes again and rested his head back on the pillow.

"I have never slept better," he said, not opening his eyes. It was obvious he was still tired. She could understand his exhaustion, because not only had he had a nightmare, but the night before he had not slept. He had said he had, but she knew that he had lied about that. She removed his arm from around her and sat up. He opened an eye and looked at her. "Where are you off to?" he asked.

"I thought I would get us some breakfast. You sleep some more until I get back. I am going down to the kitchens." She wanted to stretch her legs, but didn't want to say it to him. He closed his eye again and nodded. She leant down and kissed him gently. She left, closing the door quietly behind her and slipped into her own room. She wanted to change into normal day clothes before roaming the castle corridors. She pulled on a pair of three-quarter jeans and white tank top, and slowly drew her brush through her hair. It was no longer bushy like it used to be. Thankfully she had grown out of that, she thought.

Padding quietly along the corridor, Hermione reflected on her years in the institution. It had been like a second home to her. This was where she felt she truly belonged. It was here that she learnt who she really was. She had made both friends and enemies here. It was within these walls that she had learnt that she can fulfil her true potential. The professors here had always encouraged her, and she had a good reputation with all of them, except perhaps Severus. She smiled as she thought about her former Professor. Severus had always been sour and nasty and mean, insulting her whenever the chance arose. He had called her an 'insufferable know-it-all' for years. It made her smile to see just how much he had changed his attitude towards her. He was definitely a changed man.

Reaching the portrait that was the entrance to the kitchens, she reached up and tickled the pear, which then turned into a door handle. She pushed open the door and went inside. This time the scene had changed yet again. The elves were no longer morose but happy and cheerful. Hermione assumed it was because the start of term was near, and the elves would finally have something to do. When the elves saw her they rushed over, eager to please her. The house-elves had seemingly forgotten her previous attempts at setting them free. All was forgiven, it seemed.

"Uh, good morning," she said to the elves, suddenly unsure about all the attention.

"Good morning, Miss," said the elves, each one bowing low at her. "What can we get Miss? Breakfast?" they asked.

"That would be lovely. Could I perhaps have two plates?" she asked. It was still quite early for breakfast, but the kitchen smelled of frying eggs and sizzling bacon. Two plates were carried towards her over the tops of the house-elves heads. They were laden with bacon, eggs, fried banana, tomato and toast. She took the plates from the elves, and thanked them, and they bowed low again. She left the kitchen and carried the two plates up to Severus' room. Hermione pushed the door to his room open slowly, and quietly entered. As she had guessed, he had fallen back asleep. She put the two plates down on the table, and he opened his eyes.

"Breakfast is served," she said smiling brightly at him. He blinked several times, and then looked over to the table.

"How nice. Breakfast in bed, and service with a smile." He hadn't lost his humour, it seemed. She helped him eat, taking bites of her own food in between.

After breakfast was done, she lay back on the bed beside him. Being able to do it freely made Hermione happy. She lifted his hand and gazed at it. He flexed his fingers, and she linked her fingers with his.

"Hermione," he said after a while.

"Yes Sev?" she said. He paused for a moment.

"I have been thinking. Do you think it would be a good idea to start letting other people know I am here?" he said slowly. "Especially since it is a few days from the new term..." She released his hand and sat up, looking at him, shocked. He had been the one who had asked for his presence to be hushed up. She had never thought he would want to reveal himself.

"Well?" he asked.

"If it is what you want, Sev." She didn't know what else to say.

"It is. Will you, er, alert people?" He seemed nervous. "But only certain people. I don't particularly want the entire world to know," he added hastily. _She_ was to be the one to break the news, the news that the person most people still hated was actually still alive? She didn't want to be, but knew there was nobody he trusted as much as her.

"Sure Sev. Who do you want me to tell first?"

"I think I owe it to Potter to let him know. He was the reason the Dark Lord fell, and the reason I am free."

"Can I tell Ron too? It's only fair. He helped. He can keep a secret, don't worry," she said as she saw the uncomfortable look on his face.

"If you insist."

"Alright. I will go down now, if you want." He nodded, and she stood up. She leant over and kissed him. "Be right back," she said.

"Harry, Ron, I need to speak to you," said Hermione ten minutes later. She had gone down to the Great Hall where everyone was having breakfast. Harry and Ron were excited to see her and had jumped up and hugged her. She hadn't been down there in weeks.

"Sure, Hermione. What is it?" asked Harry. She looked around. There were still a lot of people there despite the renovations nearing completion.

"Let's go somewhere private." Her two friends followed her out of the Hall into a quiet classroom. She shut the door behind her, and whispered '_Muffliato'_ on the door, so that even if someone did pass, they would not hear voices.

"What's with all the secrecy, Hermione?" asked Ron, looking confused.

"Can I trust you two to keep a secret?" asked Hermione, seriously.

"You know we can Hermione," said the ever sensible Harry calmly. They both looked at Ron.

"Of course I can," said Ron rather indignantly. "So, what is it Hermione?" he asked eagerly.

"Well... I haven't been entirely honest with you two of late."

"What do you mean?" asked Ron.

"The thing is, well Se..." she corrected herself quickly, "Snape is alive." Neither of them seemed to have notice the near slip-up. They both looked shocked and horrified.

"_He's what?_" they said in unison.

"Alive. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I made a promise to him, Minerva and Poppy that I wouldn't tell." She could see the hurt on Ron's face.

Harry, however, seemed to regain his composure. "It's alright Hermione. But I thought he died?"

"No. He was... saved," she said delicately.

"_Who_ would save _him_?" asked Ron incredulously. Both boys looked at Hermione for the answer.

"Well... me. I saved him," she said reluctantly.

"Why, Hermione? When? How?" Ron was asking so many questions. She didn't particularly want to tell them all the details, but she didn't want to lie to them about it either.

"Why? Because I saw him twitch and knew he was alive still. If I left him there, I would be as much of a killer as those damned Death Eaters. When? When you two stormed off up to the castle after Snape was attacked. How? Well, Ron, I am a witch, am I not?" She was starting to get agitated. Harry was taking it in his stride, but Ron seemed to be freaking out. She couldn't see any reason for him to do so.

Harry put his hand on Ron's arm to stop him asking another quick-fire round of questions. "Is he here, Hermione?"

"Yes, he is up in the Hospital wing," she said, glad Ron had shut up.

"Can we go and see him? I would like to speak to him." Harry did not seem to be angry or upset as she had envisioned.

"Sure. I will take you up there. He is in a private room," she said. Harry nodded, and he and Ron followed her out of the classroom into the corridor. They made their way up to the Hospital Wing, where Hermione paused outside Severus' room.

"What is it Hermione?" asked Harry.

She turned to look at him. "He is not in a good way," she said. "I think I will ask him first if it is ok for you to see him. Stay here." She slipped into Severus' room.

He looked up at her. "Did you do it? Did you tell Potter?" he asked. She nodded. "And? How did it go?"

"He and Ron are outside. Harry wants to see you. He said he wanted to talk. Should I tell them to go away, or can they come in?" She looked at him nervously.

"I suppose they can come in. I will have to face the music at some point, wont I?" he said, reluctantly. She went over to him and gave him a quick kiss.

"I'll go get them then," she said, and hurried out. Harry was leaning against the wall and Ron was pacing. "He says it's alright to come in," she said. Harry straightened, and Ron stopped his pacing. Hermione opened the door for them to go in, and Harry took a nervous breath, and then entered. Hermione followed them in, closing the door behind her.

"Potter. Weasley," said Severus. Harry and Ron just stared at him.

**A/N: Thank you for reviewing. Hope you are enjoying the direction the story is going in**


	27. Chapter 27 Severus

Chapter 27

"Potter. Weasley," said Severus. He put on the mask he had worn for so many years; he didn't want to ruin his reputation. They both looked shocked.

"Professor?" said Harry. Both boys seemed older. In truth, they were not boys anymore, but Severus had not seen them in a long time.

"Yes Potter," said Severus. Harry moved slowly over to where Severus lay on the bed. He held out his hand as if to shake it. He looked down at the hand. It was a gesture that meant a great deal to him. It meant that Harry had forgiven him. "Potter, I would shake your hand, but as it is, I cannot." Hermione had obviously not told them.

"Um... Ok then," Harry said and dropped his hand. He looked around, not meeting Severus' eye. He was obviously feeling awkward. Ron, standing by the door, was still staring at him.

"Surprised, Weasley?" asked Severus amusedly. "You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" Ron said nothing.

"Professor, it's not like that," said Harry in earnest.

"Is that so, Mr Potter," said Severus in his teacher-voice. The boys looked intimidated, and he was enjoying it.

Harry looked around at Ron and Hermione. "Could you give me a minute, please? I want to talk in private."

Severus sent a fleeting look at Hermione. He did not want to be left alone with Harry. "If you don't mind Potter, I would prefer it if Her- Miss Granger stayed." He had nearly said Hermione's name, which would have given everything away.

"Uh... okay then," said Harry. Ron looked hurt as he left the room. Harry looked over at Hermione, who was standing next to the fireplace, her arms folded, almost as if in defiance. Harry pulled the spindly chair up next to Severus' bed, choosing not to sit in the armchair.

"Well, Potter? I was told you wanted to talk." Severus did not want it to go on longer than it had to.

Harry seemed to be at a slight loss for words. Eventually he spoke. "Well, Professor, I actually wanted to say thank you."

"And what is it I did that you feel the need to thank me for?" asked Severus. He knew exactly what it was he had done, but he wanted Harry to acknowledge it.

"Everything. You have saved my life, sometimes indirectly, on numerous occasions, and I didn't even know it." Harry looked sincere.

"Well Potter, if I wanted you to know, I would have told you, would I not? Besides, had I told you, the Dark Lord would probably have become aware of it, and that would defeat the object, would it not?"

"Uh... Yes, I suppose. But that is not all. You sacrificed yourself to protect me. You always did the right thing without anyone realising it." Harry paused and looked round at Hermione, shifting in his chair uncomfortably. "You tried to save my mother from Voldemort." Harry blushed at this.

Severus thought for a moment. "Potter, I have never liked you very much, as you may have guessed," he said, and Harry nodded. "I think you might have garnered the reason from those memories I assume you have seen by now. I loved Lily. But your father was a bully, and when your mother chose him over me, it hurt. But I never stopped loving her. When I found out it was because of my actions that she died, I wanted to spend the rest of my life making it up to her. Albus told me of you, and I made a vow that I would protect you always. Then you arrived at Hogwarts and you were so like your father, I could not help but to take an instant dislike towards you. But I never strayed from my vow."

He had revealed a lot more than he had wanted to, and it made him feel vulnerable. He was glad that Hermione was here. She knew the whole truth at least.

"I understand, Professor. And I forgive you. I understand that it must have been hard to see my father's likeness every day. But I am not like my father. My father was a coward in school. Only cowards are bullies. But I think he changed after school, or at least I hope he did," said Harry. He was sincere with his words. "I apologise on my father's behalf. You never deserved to be treated like that. You were – are – one of the bravest men I have had the honour of meeting. I am just sorry it took your death – or what we assumed was your death – to make me realise the truth." The words touched Severus. He had not been thanked and complimented like this before. Coming from Harry it meant a great deal.

"Thank you, Potter. That means a lot actually. If I could shake your hand right now I would do so," he said. Harry looked puzzled.

"What do you mean? Why can't you shake my hand?" he asked. Severus looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers out of habit.

"I cannot move," he said simply. Harry stared.

"You can't move? Why not?"

"You are asking a lot of questions Mr Potter," he said, and Harry blushed. "I cannot move because I am paralysed." He could see the question in Harry's eyes, and answered before he asked. "The snake, Nagini, had venom which contained a powerful neurotoxin, aimed at causing paralysis only. The Dark Lord seemed to enjoy playing with his food, it seems." Harry realised the situation. He took Severus' hand which was lying next to him on the bed cover, and grasped it. Severus could at least close his fingers, and so Harry shook his hand. It was as good a handshake as he could give.

"Well, Professor, thank you for letting me speak to you. I do hope your condition improves. It is possible I will not return in the near future, as term starts soon. I guess this is good bye."

"Don't get all emotional on me now Potter," said Severus. Harry smiled. "Good bye Potter." Harry turned to Hermione.

"Thanks Hermione." He gave her a hug, and Severus felt a pang of jealousy. He couldn't give her a hug like that. Harry left the room, and Severus could hear him talking to Ron outside. Then the voices drifted away, and there was silence yet again.

Hermione came over to him, and kissed him.

"Well, that certainly didn't go as badly as I thought it could have," he said. He was glad that it was over though, because he had felt awkward. "Potter has certainly matured since the last time we spoke."

"He has. I think this war has affected him worse than we could imagine. He lost a lot of people close to him."

She stroked his cheek with the tip of her finger, and Severus's words were lost. He had never really been an affectionate man, but her touch drove all sense out of him. "Are we ever going to tell anybody else about us?" she asked after a moment.

He looked into her eyes. "Don't worry about that for now. That is not of importance." He gave her a sly smile. "The only thing on my mind at the moment is you."

She laughed her melodic laugh. He felt something shift inside of him. Without thinking, he reached up and pulled her towards him. She stopped laughing immediately.

"What's the matter?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

"Sev, you can move your arm!" she exclaimed in a mix of shock and excitement. He can? He had not realised what he had just done. He looked down at his arm, and lifted it slowly. It felt as heavy as lead and very stiff. He had not moved it in months.

"Can you move anything else?" she asked excitedly. He looked at his other hand, and willed his fingers to move. Nothing happened, and he felt disappointed.

"No, nothing else," he said dejectedly.

"That's alright though. The potion seems to take affect slowly. The rest will come," she said encouragingly, and bent down to kiss him again. He lifted his arm and put it round her neck, running his fingers through her hair. It was something he had wanted to do for months, but couldn't. Now he was able to. He concluded that it had been a very successful morning.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this one too Please Read and Review **


	28. Chapter 28 Hermione

Chapter 28

"Dinner is here," said Hermione, backing into the room carrying two plates. She had asked for Severus' favourite meal to celebrate the success of the day. Not only had things with Harry gone far better than had been expected and Harry taking it all in his stride, but Severus had regained movement of his left arm. This was a very important occurrence, because it meant that the potion was working, even if it was very slowly. It also meant that Severus could do some things for himself. It was not as if she didn't want to help him, but it meant he could have some sort of independence. Hence she asked for his favourite meal.

"Good. I was getting hungry, especially with all this exercise," he said jokingly, but he had a point. She had got him to exercise his arm on and off for the rest of the morning. It was making slow improvements.

She went over to him and sat on his bed with the two plates. "Today, it is your turn to feed yourself." He looked at her with mild surprise. "Well, you _can_ do it now. Don't you agree?"

"I do. Will you at least cut the food please?"

"Of course I will." She set about cutting his steak, and he attempted to push himself up into sitting position. He managed to a point and then Hermione helped him the rest of the way. She handed him the fork. "Well, let's see how it goes."

Severus put his fork through a piece of steak, and slowly lifted a trembling hand up to his mouth. He took the meat, chewed, swallowed, and then his face burst into a grin. "I did it. I actually ate something on my own." Hermione could hear the pride in his voice, and she felt it too.

"You did Sev. I am so proud!" She meant it. It was just an insignificant thing to someone who had full movement. It was something that was taken for granted by normal people. However, for Severus, who had previously lost all movement, this was huge.

He continued eating, moving slowly but surely. After perhaps four bites, his hand started shaking as he lifted it. "Here, must I help you?" asked Hermione.

"No, no I am alright I can do it," came his reply. His face was set and he seemed determined to finish his meal without help. Hermione knew that he was putting on a brave face, and that he wanted to prove to himself more than her that he could do it.

After his meal was done, he put the fork down and dropped his hand next to him. It was shaking quite badly now from the exertion. He was breathing heavily as though he had just run a race. There were beads of sweat on his forehead. Eating had obviously been a huge effort. He laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. "Finally," he said quietly to himself.

Hermione stacked the plates on the table and lay back down with him. "Well done, Sev. That was so much better than I had expected," she said softly. She turned where she lay to face him. He had eyes closed still.

"It was harder than I expected. And painful," he said, half opening one eye to look at her. She reached up and stroked his cheek. "Hermione," he said now fully opening his eyes and looking at her. "I have an idea. It requires you to do something for me though," he said carefully.

"Anything, Sev. What is it?"

"Will you brew me an Invigoration Draught?" he asked. "I think, because it gives the drinker energy, that it might help with the exercises."

Hermione sat up. "That's a brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of that?" she said.

Severus chuckled. "You've got to give other minds a chance to be brilliant too, you know," he said teasingly. Hermione punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"As if you need to be reminded just how brilliant you are. We don't want you getting a big head here," she said, laughing. He laughed with her. Severus' playful banter was an indicator of just how comfortable he was with her. He was starting to come out of his shell. Perhaps he had a new lease on life.

"Well, would you do it for me?" he asked after the laughter had died.

"Of course I will. I will also brew a Strengthening Solution at the same time. Perhaps that might help as well," she said thoughtfully.

"Ah, there we go. You haven't lost your brilliance then," he said, and she smirked at him. He merely winked back.

"All right, all right," she said. She leaned over, and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I think it's time I went to bed. I am tired, and I wouldn't be surprised if you are too."

"Do you have to go?" he asked hopefully. She contemplated him for a moment. He certainly had changed over the last few days with her.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"I do actually."

"Alright, give me a minute. I want to shower and change."

"Okay, enjoy your shower. See you in a minute," he said, trying to stifle a yawn, but failed.

She left his room and went to her own. She quickly undressed and climbed into the shower. Her mind wandered as the warm water cascaded over her. It had only been a few months since she had rescued Severus, and yet they had fallen for each other. Admittedly, if someone told her in the past that she would end up with Severus Snape, she would have laughed in their face. They were such an unlikely couple, and yet they seemed to be perfect for each other. Hermione didn't think she had ever been as happy with anyone else as she was with Severus. Granted, she had not been with many guys, but still, he made her happy.

After her shower, Hermione felt better. She went back into Severus' room, and found him lying back on his pillow, seemingly asleep. She padded over to his bed, and he was breathing deeply and regularly. She concluded that it was due to his exhaustion after the day of exercise that he had fallen asleep so quickly. His face was calm and relaxed, the frown-line gone. He looked entirely peaceful.

She slowly and gently lifted his arm so that she could lie with him comfortably. She looked up into his face. The light from the moon outside shining on his face threw it into sharp contrast. The scar on his face looked even more prominent in these shadows. To her, however, this did not matter. He was still good looking in his own way.

She snuggled up to him as she had done the night before, and breathed in his scent. To her it was the best smell in the world, and made her feel warm and comfortable and safe.

**A/N: The reviews have all been so awesome. I wouldn't have got this far without your encouragement (Yay go you!) Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Please read and review**


	29. Chapter 29 Severus

Chapter 29

Severus' shoulder was aching. He opened his eyes and squinted down at what was causing it. Hermione was lying snuggled against him, and her head was pressing on his shoulder. He wondered when she had climbed in the bed, but then he remembered he had fallen asleep before she returned.

He lifted his arm, and it felt like he was lifting a heavy weight. He brought his hand slowly up to Hermione's head, and stroked her hair. It was thick but soft, and he relished the feeling of being able to do this. He had imagined doing it almost from the first week after his accident.

Hermione stirred after a minute. She opened her eyes, blinking in the sunlight that was flooding into the room. Twisting around, she lay on her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Good morning Sev," she said sleepily. She rubbed her eyes, and sighed.

"Morning Hermione. I am sorry I was not awake when you returned last night. But I am glad you did stay; waking up to find you by my side is like a dream," he said with a sly smile.

She smiled a little more broadly, but said nothing, seemingly contemplating him instead.

"What is it?" he asked after a short time. She had a strange look on her face, a kind of half smile, and her eyes were gleaming.

"I was just thinking about us," she said.

"What about us?"

"Well, I was thinking that it is strange that we ended up falling for each other, especially over such a short period of time. I mean, before, I was scared of you. At one point I even hated you," then she added hastily, "That was obviously before I knew the truth."

He ran his fingers through her hair once more. "I know, it is strange. I never expected to fall for anybody else. After Lily died I didn't think I would ever find love again. And then you came along, and changed everything." He smiled and rested his hand on her cheek.

She looked down at his arm, and then suddenly sat up straight. She took his arm in her hand, and turned it so that his wrist faced her. He glanced down, and realised what it was that had caught her attention. There, on the inside of his wrist was the Dark Mark tattoo, so faint it was almost invisible.

"I actually haven't noticed this before," she said, tracing the outline with the tip of her finger. "I mean, I knew it was there, but I actually haven't really seen it properly before."

"Ah, yes. That." He looked at the tattoo with revulsion. He had hated the mark almost from the moment he had received it. Anybody who saw it instantly changed their attitude towards him, and they feared and hated him, and wouldn't trust him.

"It's so faded," she commented. "Have you had it a long time?"

"Yes, I have. If I am not mistaken it will be twenty years this year. That, however, is not the reason it has faded. The Dark Lord's death caused that." She looked at him questioningly. "The Mark is a direct connection to him. When he was in full power, the Mark was dark and visible. But when he lost power when he tried to kill Harry, it faded, though not as much as this," he said, indicating his arm. "I am glad it is almost gone," he added quietly.

She continued tracing the mark absent-mindedly. "How did you get it?" she asked.

He sighed inwardly. He didn't particularly want to think about the past, but he felt obliged. He didn't want to hide things from her.

"I was eighteen years old when I received the Mark. It was a few days after I had finished here at Hogwarts. I felt like I had nowhere to go, and didn't belong anywhere. Being a Slytherin I knew many of the Death Eaters, and I looked up to them, so I joined. At the time, the Dark Lord treated me well, and I proved myself to be most loyal. I think I was just a lost teenager, in need of guidance, and got it from all the wrong places. I regret every moment of it." He looked wistfully at the mark.

Hermione was silent, staring at his arm. "Then Voldemort threatened Lily and you changed sides?" she asked.

"Exactly. It was my own doing that she died. None of the other Death Eaters knew what it felt to love someone, so I turned to the only other person that I could. Albus insisted I stay as a spy for him." He sighed. "Hermione, can we discuss this another time? These memories are still painful."

Hermione snapped out of her thoughtful reverie and leaned over and kissed him deeply. "No matter what you have done in the past, it does not matter. It's what you do now that counts. You have been given a clean slate, a fresh start." Her words made him feel better.

"How can someone like me be so lucky as to win the heart of someone as special as you?" he said. Hermione blushed. She climbed out of bed and put on a dressing gown.

"I am going to start those potions today," she said. "I am going to get dressed quickly, and grab the ingredients form your store room."

"Good idea. See you in a bit then," he said, and Hermione left.

Severus gazed out of the window, and sighed deeply. The view outside was beautiful as always. It was just about the start of autumn, and the tops of the trees were turning a russet orange. Today was a cloudless day, and the birds were twittering. From this vantage point he could see the rolling lawns outside the Entrance Hall.

He looked wishfully at the scenery below. He wished more than anything that he could go down to grounds and feel the breeze on his face, the grass under his feet, the icy water of the lake through his fingers, smell the fresh air. He had been cooped up in this private room for almost four months now, and it was extremely tedious. Even the trips to the Prefect's Bathroom were not as exciting as it had been to begin with.

Looking down at the front lawn, he noticed something there that he had not taken note of before. It looked like a large marble statue, similar to the one at the Ministry of Magic. The pedestal on which the statue rested was far larger than a normal one. Severus wondered at the reason for the statue, and was curious as to what the statue was of.

His thoughts turned to his life. He had done so many things, and had taken so much in life for granted. After his attack, things had changed so much that a twitch of a finger was big, and feeding himself was huge. Hermione had high hopes, but in his heart of hearts he knew that he probably would never be able to walk again. He was determined that he would do things he had always put off before. It was in that moment that he decided never to take things for granted again.

**A/N: Please read and review as always :)**


	30. Chapter 30 Hermione

Chapter 30

Hermione made her way through the castle to the dungeons. As she passed the Great Hall going down to the dungeons, she met Minerva McGonagall coming out from breakfast.

"Oh good. I was hoping to catch you, dear," said Minerva, catching her by the arm.

"Good morning, Minerva."

"Hermione, dear, how is Severus doing?" She spoke in a hushed voice so that nobody else could overhear them. Hermione took Minerva to the side.

"Well, Severus and I have been working on a potion to try and cure him. A few days ago we succeeded in making one. He took it, and movement is slowly coming back to him. He has, so far, regained full movement of his left hand and arm. We are hoping that he will gain more movement back, so I am going to brew a Strengthening Solution and Invigoration Draught."

"Well, it's good to hear he is improving. Send him my regards will you?" said Minerva, and patted Hermione's arm and strode away.

'That was rather brief,' though Hermione as she made her way towards the dungeons. Walking down the dungeon corridor she noticed it was not as silent as it had been before on her numerous visits. She paused outside the potions classroom and listened. The sounds were coming from inside, and it sounded like glasses clinking and the scraping of metal on stone. She knocked, and the sounds ceased.

"Enter," came a voice from inside. She pushed the door open and found Professor Slughorn standing behind the teacher's desk.

"Er... Sorry to disturb you Professor. I didn't realise anybody was down here," said Hermione. Horace Slughorn beamed at Hermione.

"That's quite alright dear. I always welcome my favourite students back," he said, spreading his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "Cup of tea, dear?" he asked, turning to a small desk behind his own.

"No thanks, Professor. I actually came down here to get some ingredients for potions. Sev-Madam Pomfrey asked me to get ingredients to brew a batch of Strengthening Solution and Invigoration Draught," she said. She berated herself for nearly making the error of calling Severus by his first name – again - and thus revealing him to Professor Slughorn.

"Ah, yes. I heard you were helping her out. But why do you need ingredients now? Surely there are no more patients still in the Hospital Wing?"

"No, everyone has gone, but we need to brew the potions for the start of term next week." She was surprised at how easily she lied. Professor Slughorn eyed her for a moment and then, deciding that she was telling the truth, nodded and opened the storeroom for her.

While inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. She grabbed the necessary ingredients for the potions, and carried them out.

"Thank you Professor. I will just be on my way now," she said.

"Any time dear. Please send my regards to Poppy."

"I will. Goodbye Professor." She left the dungeons and hurried up to the Hospital Wing. The fact that the corridors were empty was a good sign for Hermione at the moment. Her plan was to take Severus out in the wheelchair to see the castle before the new term started.

She reached his room and hurried inside. Hermione got a fright when she saw that Severus was not alone in the room. Poppy Pomfrey was sitting next to his bed talking to him. They both looked up as she arrived.

"Hello Hermione," said Poppy. "I have just been speaking to Severus. I heard it is thanks to you that Severus has made leaps and bounds in his recovery."

Hermione blushed. She hadn't really thought about the fact that it was her doing. "Um... Well, I suppose I helped. But it wasn't _all_ my doing. Severus came up with most of the potion."

"I might have come up with _some_ of the potion," said Severus, emphasising the fact he did part of it, "but I couldn't have made the potion without you." He smiled at her proudly behind Poppy's back.

Hermione set the ingredients down on the table and started setting up as she talked.

"What are you going to brew today, Hermione?" asked Poppy.

"A strengthening potion and an invigoration draught. I want to see if they will help with Severus' progress." She lit the fire under the two cauldrons and started preparing the ingredients.

"Well, I can see you are busy here. Call me if you need help," said Poppy. She stood up and took Severus' hand and shook it. Hermione smiled at this gesture; Poppy was trying to make Severus feel normal. Poppy left, and closed the door behind her.

"I saw Horace Slughorn down in the dungeons earlier. He must be getting ready for the new term," said Hermione.

"He seems to have made himself rather comfortable in my classroom," said Severus. Hermione looked up from what she was doing when she heard the note of bitterness in his voice.

"Does that bug you?" she asked. He sighed, and shook his head.

"I know it shouldn't bug me. I haven't been the potions professor for a while, and I probably won't be again, but I do miss it. I hate to admit it, but I do. I suppose I was so used to it, and it came so easily to me. Though I did enjoy teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts for a while." He gave Hermione a sly smile.

"Despite the position being jinxed," said Hermione, and Severus smiled.

"Well, it isn't anymore, is it? Not now that the Dark Lord is gone." Hermione nodded, and continued on the potions. Doing two at once was going to prove a challenge, but she could do it. She wanted Severus to take both at the same time, to maximise the effects of both potions.

"Sev, why do you still call Voldemort 'the Dark Lord'?" asked Hermione after half an hour. She had been thinking about that while working. Severus had been watching her work, and his eyes seemed to slowly glaze over.

He came out of his reverie, and frowned. "I am not really sure. Force of habit I suppose. As a Death Eater it was a sign of respect not to call him Voldemort. I guess I got used to it." He lifted his arm and stretched. "That feels so good, to be able to stretch like that," he said. Hermione looked up and smiled. She had always refrained from stretching in front of him because she knew he couldn't, but now that he could, things were looking up.

After four hours, both potions were complete. By this time Severus had closed his eyes and rested his head on the pillow. When she was sure they were both ready, she went over to his bed. She rested her hand on his cheek, and he opened his eyes.

"I am done, Sev. The potions are ready." He turned his head, and kissed her on the hand.

"Shall we try it then?" he asked. He pushed himself up on the bed, and Hermione handed him two beakers of potion to drink. He took them with his left hand, and downed them. "Eugh! They taste disgusting. Honestly, I don't know how people can drink stuff like this," he said, pulling a face.

Hermione looked at him expectantly. "Well, do you feel anything?"

He lifted his arm, and flexed his hand. "Well this does feel a lot easier, not like I am lifting bricks." He looked at his other arm, and was obviously trying to move that one too. "Something feels different in my other hand. I can actually feel it. I think that it will move today." He grinned at her. "Let's do exercises and see if the other does move."

Hermione could see the effects of the Invigoration Draught already. Colour had returned to his normally sallow cheeks, and his eyes sparkled with energy.

"Wait. Hermione, can you pass me my wand, please?" Hermione was rather taken aback. She didn't think that he would be trying to achieve magic quite so soon, but she went over to his bedside table and took the wand out of the drawer. She could feel the magic pulsating through the wood under her fingers. It had not been used in months and it seemed like it _wanted_ to be used. She handed the wand over to Severus, and he beamed, turning the wand over and over, holding it up to his eyes to inspect it. "Oh how I have missed you," he said lovingly to his wand. He pointed it at the fireplace, and said "_Incendio_" and fire burst to life in the grate. "Ah that feels so good." Hermione had read somewhere those wizards who don't use their magic for long periods of time begin to go mad, because the magic was not able to flow and it would nearly burst out of them.

"Okay, shall we do the exercises now?" asked Hermione. He looked absolutely eager to do them.

After half an hour of doing the exercises, which Severus was doing a lot better with, he spoke.

"Hermione, I feel that shift in me that happens just before something moves for the first time," he said, looking down at his right hand. "Come on, move!" He was willing his hand to move. His face was screwed up in concentration. Then suddenly, his hand closed into a fist. He let out a breath he had been holding, and looked up at Hermione. "The next step on the path to recovery," he said triumphantly. Hermione couldn't agree more.

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this one. Please read and review as always**


	31. Chapter 31 Severus

Chapter 31

Severus was pleased at his progress a few days later. He had taken more of the potions that Hermione had brewed, and was gaining a lot of strength back. He certainly felt as though he had a lot more energy. Over the last few days, the movement in his arm had returned too. He now had full movement in both arms and hands.

On the evening three days before the start of term Hermione came in, bringing the wheelchair with her.

"Sev, I think you should go out," she announced, pulling the wheelchair to a stop next to his bed.

"Go out where?" he asked, startled by her sudden appearance.

"Well, the rest of the staff is having a pre-term feast in the Great Hall just now, and I think it would be the best opportunity to go around the empty castle before the term starts and it fills with students. We can go out into the grounds too if you want." She looked at him expectantly, her hands on her hips. Her attitude was such that he daren't say no, even if he didn't want to go, not that it was the case. He longed to go out, but had not voiced this to Hermione. He didn't want to seem ungrateful for everything she had done over the last few months.

"Alright then. In the wheelchair I assume?" he asked, looking pointedly at the chair.

"Yes, and _you_ are going to wheel yourself around. You are quite capable now." He felt grateful towards her. She was encouraging him to stand on his own two feet, so to speak.

"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go." Hermione picked him up out of the bed and helped him into the chair. He stretched his arms, flexing his hands in preparation.

"I'll help you with the stairs, but other than that, this is your time to show me how far you have come." Severus liked a challenge, and so didn't mind that she was pushing him.

He wheeled himself out of the now deserted Hospital Wing into the corridor. Hermione walked beside him in silence as he wheeled himself along. They reached the top of the stairs, and he stopped. He didn't want to go crashing down the stairs and lose control. Hermione lifted his chair with a quick _'Wingardium Leviosa'_ and floated him down.

The ground floor was the one Severus aimed for, feeling a great desire to pass the Great Hall, even though to do so would be a risk. He hadn't told the rest of the staff that he was there. The headmistress had seen to it that he had not been discovered. As he wheeled himself past the Great Hall, he could hear voices coming from behind the closed doors. He knew what was happening inside, having been to many of these himself. He knew that many of the teachers, including Sybil Trelawney, were consuming a lot of Firewhiskey, and getting themselves drunk. Trelawney had always been quite annoying drunk, giving everyone false prophesies of death and destruction - more so than usual. Some of the others were rather more entertaining, some flirting with other staff, and some dancing to music in their heads. This was probably the only time of the year that the staff really let their hair down and having fun. Severus had never 'let his hair down', finding the behaviour childish.

The staircase in front of them led to the Entrance Hall, and out to the grounds. Hermione lifted him down these stairs to the Entrance Hall. In front of him were the doors leading to the outside. He felt a great thrill as he looked up at the giant doors, covered in an intricate design. He wheeled himself slowly forward, Hermione at his side. As he approached, the doors silently swung open with such ease that did not befit their size. This did not cross his mind however, when he passed through them into the grounds. The night air was cool, and the grounds were so quiet it was almost eerie. Severus closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the fresh breeze on his face. He opened them again, and moved forward. The green grass beneath his wheelchair wheels rustled as he moved over it. He looked around at the trees and up at the sky, where the stars were twinkling brightly. The light flooding from the castle out the open doors fell on something up ahead. Moving closer, he saw that it was the statue he had seen from his window. Now was a good time to find out what it really was. As he approached, Hermione stepped in front of him and he stopped.

"I haven't told you about this yet," she said, an apologetic look on her face. He raised an eyebrow in question. "Harry thought it would be a good idea to erect a statue in honour of those who had fallen in the fight against Voldemort."

"How noble of him," said Severus sarcastically, though he did find it to be a noble act. He began wheeling himself closer, but Hermione stopped him again.

"Sev, Harry made special mention of you. He wanted you to be remembered as a hero, not as the traitor we all thought you were," she said carefully. He knew she did not mean to offend him. It was his opinion that people who didn't know the whole story had every right to think him a traitor. At times he felt like one himself.

Looking up at the statue, he saw figures a few figures cast in stone. Something nagged at his mind. He had seen something like this before, but didn't quite know where.

"Who or what is the statue depicting?" he asked of Hermione.

"Well, Harry decided that he liked the Fountain of Magical Brethren that used to stand in the Ministry of Magic, so he used that as an idea." She smirked. "That one there, the wizard," she said, pointing to the tallest figure, "is actually Dumbledore. Harry thought it a smart way to honour him. That one over there," she said, pointing to a four-legged figure, "is a centaur. They came to our aid during the battle, when they are usually so private. They helped us even though we are not their kind, so Harry thought it a good way to give them credit. The next one," she said, this time pointing to a small figure, "is a house-elf. They came to our aid as well, risking their lives to help us." She smiled as she looked up at the statue.

He went closer until he could clearly read what was written on the pedestal. He could see there was something written on all the sides, but the side closest to him was the one that caught his attention first. At the top was an inscription that read:

TO THE WELL ORGANISED MIND, DEATH IS BUT THE NEXT GREAT ADVENTURE

A. P. W. B. DUMBLEDORE

"Well that is quite like Dumbledore to say," smirked Severus. Beneath the inscription was another, also in the centre of the pedestal.

IN HONOUR OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT VALIANTLY AGAINST THE DARKNESS. NONE WILL BE FORGOTTEN.

SEVERUS SNAPE DIED A TRUE HERO AND MUST ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AS ONE.

The fact that it had been Harry who had ensured Severus got a special mention, a special honour, was touching for him. Severus assumed that the statue had been erected before Harry's visit, because Harry knew full well that Severus was very much alive.

There was a list of names below another inscription.

EVERY PERSON ON THIS LIST DIED A TRUE HERO:

CEDRIC DIGGORY

REMUS LUPIN

NYMPHADORA TONKS

SIRIUS BLACK

ALASTOR MOODY

RUFUS SCRIMGEOUR

TED TONKS

FRED WEASLEY

COLIN CREEVEY

JAMES POTTER

LILY POTTER

Severus' eyes stopped on Lily's name. He felt a great wave of sadness wash over him all of a sudden. Hermione had walked around to the other side of the pedestal and so did not see him brush away the tear that had fallen. He looked away from her name, and read the rest of them. He wheeled himself around the pedestal, reading the names of those who had died in the battle. Severus had not realised just how many people had sacrificed themselves, knowingly or not, for the fight against Voldemort. Quite a number of the names he knew.

"Hermione, let's go somewhere else," he said. Hermione looked up at him with puffy red eyes. She sniffed, and wiped away her tears. He felt for her. He had lost nobody he cared about with the exception being Dumbledore and Lily. She, on the other hand, had lost many friends, most of them she was close to. She nodded in agreement and they moved off in a silence broken only by Hermione's sniffs. After a while they found themselves on the edge of the Lake. Severus had often frequented the place as a refuge from the bullies. Hermione sat on the grass next to him. He stared out over the still water, disturbed occasionally by a jumping fish or a large tentacle poking out of the water. The moon was reflected perfectly in the water like a mirror. He was deep in thought about the war heroes when Hermione brought him out of his reverie. She stood up, and pulled her top off her head.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Going for a swim," she said, grinning recklessly, now taking off her jeans.

"In the lake? With the Giant Squid?" he asked, doubtful.

"Of course. The squid won't harm me. And besides, there is nobody who will see me. Want to join me?" she asked happily, skipping to the water's edge.

"Not a chance," he retorted. She shrugged and dived into the water. She disappeared under the surface, the water now rippling. After a moment of silence, her head appeared above the surface and she was smiling and laughing. She swam around a bit, floating on her back. After a little while, she waded out of the water. Her wet hair was clinging to her head and she was shivering, but had a rebellious look on her face, as though she had done something she shouldn't have. Severus quickly pulled out his wand and dried her with a quick spell. He expected her to get dressed again, but she did not.

Instead, Hermione came up to Severus and put her hand on each of the armrests of his chair, bringing her face close to his. She smelled faintly of lake water, but that was the furthest thing from his mind. He brought his face closer to hers until their foreheads were almost touching. Hermione closed her eyes, and Severus kissed her gently. She leaned into him even further and their kiss deepened. He snaked his hand up to her hair, tangling his finger in the thick locks. Suddenly she pulled away, and with a sinking feeling he thought he had done something wrong. Hermione, however, picked him up out of his chair and laid him on the grass, then lay next to him. The feeling of the grass under his fingers was a momentary distraction and he closed his eyes. Hermione leant over and kissed him on his eyelids and he opened them.

She was wearing a naughty smile, much as she had when she had swum in the water. He glanced down, and realised that she was still in her underwear. This realisation sent a shiver of excitement through him. She kissed him again, and then shifted so she was lying against him. He wondered for a moment if she could feel his heart pounding through the thin material of his t-shirt. His fingers brushed her bare skin, and she paused. He didn't want to do anything she was not comfortable with. Then she launched back into a more frenzied kiss, running her hands through his hair. He put his hand on her back, her skin soft. He was trying his best to control himself, but she was not helping. Her ragged breath was what made him relinquish control, and he pulled her closer.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter please read and review **


	32. Chapter 32 Hermione

Chapter 32

Hermione's heart was racing as she climbed into bed that evening. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She felt amazing, her skin still tingling where he had touched her. She didn't quite know what had gotten hold of her, causing her to act quite out of character. A thought crossed her mind – _I have given myself to Severus Snape, the potions master everybody feared_ – and she smiled. Had anybody told her that it would be her potions master that she would – quite willingly – give her innocence to, she would have laughed in their face.

She thought over what had happened and wondered. It seemed to her almost as if he didn't quite know what to do. Of course, it could be because of his paralysis, but she didn't quite think so. It felt to her, inexperienced as she might be, that he had never actually done this before. She put the thought from her mind, however, as she turned over and fell almost immediately asleep.

By the time Hermione woke the next morning, the sun was already relatively high in the sky, the sun pouring in from her opened blinds. She stretched like a cat under her blankets and groggily reached for her watch. Seeing the time, she darted out of bed and dressed in a hurry.

"Morning Sev," she said as she entered his room minutes later, still running a brush through her hair. "Sorry about coming in so late, I must have over slept. Can I get you–" She stopped short, seeing that Severus was already eating breakfast on a tray on his lap. He smiled at her brightly. Remembering the night before, she felt a deep blush creeping up her face. She turned away, busying herself with arranging cauldrons on the table. "I see you already have breakfast," said Hermione, finally turning around, but not meeting his eye.

"I do, yes. Poppy was kind enough to bring it for me. She said that she would rather leave you to sleep late, what with there being three days until the start of term." She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, still reluctant to meet his eye. She heard him put his knife and fork down. "Hermione," he said softly. Something in his voice made her look up at him, and she could see sadness in his eyes. With a jolt, she thought that it was the events of the previous night that caused this. "Hermione, I spoke to Minerva earlier. I have asked her if I could be transported back to my own residence before term started." Hermione's head jerked up, looking at him with an astonished look. She felt hurt, to the core of her being. She knew that she had been inexperienced, but had it been so bad that he wanted to flee her presence?

"You mean you are leaving?" she asked. He held out his hand so she could come closer. Hermione didn't move. He obviously heard the hurt in her voice.

"Hermione, I am not leaving because of you. I am almost recovered; and besides, I can't stay hidden in the Hospital Wing forever. Come here, Hermione." He was still holding out his arm for her to sit on the bed next to him. Slowly, she moved to his bed, but sat on the edge, just out of his reach. He let his arm drop onto the bed, sighing. "Mr Potter has agreed to lend me his cloak so that I won't be seen. Tonight, Minerva will take me to my home, where I will remain. Nobody there is magical and so will not know that I am meant to be dead."

Hermione could feel the tears welling up, but she blinked them away. "I see," she said as coldly as she could. She stood up quickly and turned to leave. Without looking at him she said, "Thank you for telling me, Professor Snape."

As she hurried out the room, she heard Severus call out, "Hermione!" but she ignored him and shut the door. She hurried to her room, closing the door quietly behind her, but leaned against it, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. Silent sobs racked her body as she slid down the door and sat on the floor. How could she be so stupid as to not see through his scheme, she thought. Of course he would lie and seduce her so that he could have his way with her. He had probably done it to many girls as a Death Eater, and now that he could no longer hide behind that, he was just using his injury to do it again. He probably used his injury to get her to feel for him, and he probably took full advantage of it. She berated herself for being so easily fooled.

When the tears stopped, and she had taken her last shaky breath, she splashed her face with cold water from the tap in her bathroom. She didn't want it to be obvious that she had been crying. She set her face so that no emotion showed.

Hermione knocked on Severus' door and pushed it open when she heard him say 'Enter'. "Hermione, you should know by now that you–" He stopped short when he saw the cold look on her face. "Hermione, what's the matter? Have I done something wrong?" He sounded as though he genuinely cared, but she knew it to be a farce.

"_Professor_, I have come to help you pack. If there is anything else you need, just ask, _Sir._" She put a cold emphasis on the words, not wanting to fall for his tricks again. He just gaped at her. She went over to his bedside table and started gathering up the quills and papers. He grabbed her arm and she froze.

"Hermione, what has got into you? Why are being like this all of a sudden?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment and said, "I am sure you know why. You have achieved what you set out to do, and now you are leaving in a hurry. Well, that is fine by me. In fact, I'll be glad to see the back of you." Severus let go of her arm, hurt written all over his face. He said nothing, just looked at her as though she had just slapped him very hard across his face. Hermione turned and left, not wanting to fall for his tricks again. She slammed his door shut and stalked out of the Hospital Wing.

"There you are Hermione! I have been looking for you for hours." Hermione had been wandering the castle and grounds for hours, just wanting to be alone. Poppy hurried up to her just as she returned to the Hospital Wing.

"Sorry Poppy. I just needed to get out for a while."

"Anyway, Severus has just left. He wanted to wait for you to come back to say goodbye, but it was getting late and we didn't know when you would return. He left this for you though." Poppy handed Hermione a sealed letter. "He said it was important that you read it."

"Thank you, Poppy," said Hermione, taking the letter. She stalked off into her room, not wanting to read it in front of an audience. She stared at it for a long time, deliberating if she should read the letter or not. Eventually though, she did open it.

_To my dearest Hermione_

_I don't know where you have gone, but I sincerely wanted to say good-bye before I left._

_Hermione, I just wanted you to know that these past few months have been the happiest time of my life, despite having been paralysed. It is really the first time in my life that I have felt the joys of love. I had always been cynical of the poets who wrote about how wonderful it felt to be in love. I thought that no person could feel that amount of happiness because of the presence of another person. But I have been proven wrong, and I am glad to admit that I was wrong. I felt that kind of love with you. _

_I think you know by now that I would not just say something unless I truly meant it. Hermione, my love, I do not want you to think that it was because of the events of last night that I am leaving. I admit, my departure was badly timed, and very short notice, but I did not have much other choice. The safest time for me to leave is before term starts, and that happened to be now. Otherwise, the next opportunity would be this time next year, and I don't think I could stand to be locked away in that room for another year. _

_If you felt used in any way whatsoever, I have to impress upon you that that was never my intention. I think you have come to realise that I never intended to fall in love again after my experience in the past, and never could I have imagined that anyone could love me the way you do. I apologise sincerely if I hurt you._

_I love you, and I always will. I hope you will forgive my departure, but it was necessary. I do hope you will come and visit me here soon, as I don't think I could stand a day without you. _

_Always yours,_

_Severus_

By the time Hermione had finished the letter, tears were flowing silently down her cheeks. She brushed them away with her sleeve, and sank onto her bed. She reread the letter again. He loved her, he honestly loved her, and she had been selfish, thinking only of herself. Of course he had to go. Who _would_ want to stay in that Hospital Wing for a year?

Hermione suddenly jumped up and hurried out of the Hospital Wing again. She didn't want to lose the only good thing in her life, and she had an idea to get it back. She rushed out of the castle and down to the gates. It was only outside of the castle grounds that she could Apperate. Stopping outside of the castle grounds, Hermione thought hard of the place she wanted to go. She didn't quite know where it was exactly, but she knew her heart would take her there. _Wherever Severus is, I want to go there,_ she thought, and with a small _pop_, she vanished.

**A/N: Please read and review. **


	33. Chapter 33 Severus

Chapter 33

Severus waited for hours, hoping that Hermione would return. Poppy came in and out through the day, fussing about, insisting he eat something. He was not hungry, however. He had done something to upset Hermione, and he had absolutely no idea what it was he had done. Surely she would understand his need to leave this place. He could not stand being cooped up in this small room for a whole _year_, waiting for the chance to leave. Surely she would understand that the safest time to leave without being seen would be now, when the castle was relatively empty.

He could not understand what she was upset about. if he thought about it, her reaction had been rather immature, but he could understand; she had lived a sheltered life, and had not really experienced a real relationship before. He had at least told her he was leaving. The fact that it had been on such short notice was something he could not really help.

He tried to put himself in her shoes, trying to see why she was so upset. He ran through the events of the past day in his mind. The evening with her had been wonderful, something he had not experienced before. Her skin had been so soft, her kisses delicate, her touch warm...

He realised he was daydreaming about the night's events, and moved on. They had parted ways reluctantly, but they were still happy then. Then in the morning he had woken early, and waited. Hermione had not come, and eventually Poppy brought her breakfast. Minerva had come to talk to him to communicate her idea, saying that Mr Potter had allowed her use of the Invisibility Cloak, which she would use to hide him.

Hermione had come, and somehow couldn't meet his eyes. He wondered if she felt ashamed at what they had done. When he had told her the news, she had changed. She began calling him 'Professor' again, but he knew she didn't mean it in a respectful way. She had turned cold towards him. _"You have achieved what you set out to do, and now you are leaving in a hurry. Well, that is fine by me. In fact, I'll be glad to see the back of you_," she had said. This hurt him, but he could see that she was hurting too. Suddenly, the realisation of what she had meant dawned on him. She thought he had seduced her to have his way with her. He grabbed a quill and parchment almost immediately and written a letter for her.

When it was clear that Hermione was not going to return and it was getting late, Severus had no other choice but to hand the letter to Poppy, insisting that the letter was of great importance and that nobody but Hermione read it. he was assured that she would, and with that, Minerva Apperated with him to his small house.

It was now ten o' clock in the evening, and Severus was sitting in front of the fireplace, gazing thoughtfully into the flames, the fourth glass of Firewhiskey in his hand. He had been drinking since he had arrived. He didn't want to face the fact that everything he loved had been ruined. First Lily, then Dumbledore, and now Hermione, all gone, and he blamed himself. He couldn't face it.

His eyelids were drooping, the glass in his hand slipping, when he heard the faintest noise outside. The sound startled him, every nerve set on edge. He relaxed after a moment, now not caring if it was someone who was out to get him. The soft knock on his door was a surprise. He wheeled himself through the living room into the entrance hall, for once grateful for the fact he was in a wheelchair and not walking, or he might have fallen over. He opened the door, and gasped as Hermione stepped across the threshold. He blinked, wondering if perhaps he had drunk _too_ much and this was some kind of drunken hallucination.

He realised it wasn't, however, when Hermione wrapped her arms around him, hugging him as though she might never want to let him go. Eventually he patted her awkwardly on the back and she straightened, brushing a tear from her cheek.

"Um, hi," she said, rather awkwardly.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" he said, slurring his words quite badly. He remembered his manners and wheeled himself out of the doorway. "Come in, please." Hermione followed him through to the living room where the fire had warmed the place considerably. Hermione sat on one of the spindly armchairs opposite him.

"Sev, I just came to say that I am so terribly sorry..." He raised his hand to stop her.

"Hermione," he said, trying to keep the slurring to a minimum. "There is no need to apologise to me. I think it should be me apologising to _you_. I realise now that I sounded as if I was trying to make a quick getaway. You read my letter, I assume?"

"I did. Sev, I love you too. I didn't realise how much until you were gone. I thought I had lost you forever. I didn't want our parting words to be an argument. It took me a while but I eventually found out where you lived."

"About that, how exactly _did_ you find out?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Well, actually, I filled my heart with love for you, and thought about how much I wanted to be with you, and I just apperated. I landed up down the street from you. I knocked on the first door, and they told me there was a Snape family that used to live in this house, so I tried it and here I am."

"Here you are," said Severus softly. He gazed at her, admiring the way the firelight threw shadows across her features. "What on earth did I do to deserve such an amazing creature as you?" he said to no one in particular. He smiled as Hermione blushed deeply.

"I think that you have had enough of that," she said, gently taking the glass from his hand. "Perhaps it's time you showed me your bedroom." She wheeled him out of the room into his own. He grinned at her sheepishly as she lifted him into bed.

"Hermione," he said, his head filled with a sudden clarity.

"Yes, Sev?"

"Will you marry me?"


	34. Epilogue

Epilogue

The small house was filled with the sounds of Christmas carols and singing and the smell of food filled the air. A little boy with pale skin and brown curls waddled out of the kitchen, his very pregnant mother hot on his heels. The little boy giggled with glee, and was scooped up into the arms of his father.

"Sev, don't spoil him now," laughed Hermione. She knew that Severus had a real soft spot for his son. He wanted his boy to have a childhood as far from his own as possible, thus he showered him with love and gifts. Andrew, in return, always ran to his 'Dada' for protection. Andrew loved to sit on Severus' lap while he wheeled himself from place to place. Hermione had thought that the ugly scar that marred Severus' face would have affected him, but Severus wore his scars, all of them, with pride. She had offered to have them removed, but he always refused, saying it served as a reminder of how much he had to apreciate in life.

Hermione sat down in a chair at the head of the other end of the table. Hermione surveyed the rest of the guests they were hosting for Christmas. Harry and Ginny had also had their first child who was Andrew's age, but was nowhere to be seen. Harry was currently on his hands and knees looking under the coffee table for his son.

Ron was not married yet, but he did have a girlfriend. Hermione had always thought that had she not fallen in love with Severus, she and Ron might have had a future together. Neville, sitting on the side closest to her, had also not married. He had instead chosen to follow a career in teaching, and had recently been appointed the post of Herbology Professor at Hogwarts, after the retirement of Pomona Sprout. Despite the drastic change of Severus' demeanour, especially since the birth of Andrew, Neville had remained nervous around him.

By now, Harry had found James and had him on his lap at the table. James had discovered a cracker and was trying very hard to pull it apart, without success. She looked over to her husband who had their son on his lap. His eyes met hers across the table and he winked.

Severus cleared his throat and the table fell silent. He raised his glass of champagne and said, "I would like to make a toast." Everyone raised their glass. "To our friends who I am so pleased could join us in celebrating this merry day."

"Hear, hear," they all cried and took a sip of their drink.

"Also, to my wonderful wife who, despite being so pregnant, has prepared this wonderful meal for us." Again the table toasted. Hermione blushed. "And lastly, I would like to toast our children, who are the most amazing creatures on earth, and who fill a room with happiness and joy with the greatest of ease." Harry and Ginny nodded in agreement. Neville looked shocked to hear the man he had once feared above all, making such cheerful toasts.

Hermione felt warm and fuzzy inside, happy that everything had worked out better than she could have ever imagined it to. She smiled across the table at her wonderful, loving husband. She was content. In her life, all was well.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please be so kind as to read and review this story. **


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